


begin again

by nefariousness



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, basically ongniel travelling together, with some (failed) smuts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-26 22:26:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 32,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16690084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nefariousness/pseuds/nefariousness
Summary: because seongwoo and daniel find their soul in between twelve cities.





	begin again

**Author's Note:**

> this turns way, way longer than i expected, but i hope you don't mind :D
> 
> based on **prompt number #33**
>
>> 12 cities.
>> 
>> 2 boys.
>> 
>> 1 heart.
>> 
>> In which, Seongwu and Daniel are strangers who met while travelling and decided to stay together. Both are suffering from their own problems: One from an unrequited love and One from a love that never worked out.

**New York** **⎯**

Kang Daniel caught himself staring at the empty space in front of him, again. It is almost noon and the weather is simply weird – it isn’t hot enough but then the sun is up there right above his head – thus before summer is always an uncanny thing for Daniel. He alters his gaze from the floor to his plane ticket again with a sigh following afterward. Seoul to New York will take more than fourteen hours, and suddenly Daniel feels even shittier than he already is. 

Why is his first stop New York? Nobody knows, even Daniel doesn’t know why. Why does he refer New York as his first stop as if he will have enough will and motivation to move to another city? Jaehwan did tell him that maybe travelling would help, but he didn’t really specify his statement further more.

Why did Daniel end up following Jaehwan’s advice anyway? Since when Jaehwan is credible enough to give life’s guidance – ah, forget it, Daniel is on his way to the plane already, what goods come from questioning his implausible decision right then?

The sunlight still manages to find its way to Daniel’s skin even after Daniel seated himself on the plane and even though Daniel likes the window seat, it still manages to annoy him a bit. The captain was speaking when he took out a book from his backpack, and the seat beside him is still empty – Daniel prays it would stay like that until he lands.

And it doesn’t, Daniel has to really get a grip to the fact that sometimes life just really like to test him. The male beside him is wearing an oversized black shirt and black sweatpants, which complement his fair skin and his skinny figure and Daniel had to slap himself mentally when he couldn’t stop looking. Staring is rude, Daniel would’ve really hated it if the latter did that to him.

So Daniel went back to his book, quietly and without initiating any friendly gesture, he just really wants some alone time. “Banana Yoshimoto is a really great reading choice.” Daniel almost choked on the comment before he turned his head and found the stranger beside him was smiling at him – he choked for real afterward. Ways to leave a good first impression, truly a guide by Kang Daniel.

“Sorry?” Daniel was distressed because it just hit him that the latter is really something else up close, it almost feels like watching a movie.

“Your book, of course, I was saying that you have an excellent reading choice?” The other male chuckled.

“Sure, thanks, I guess?” Daniel managed to reply, and it was his best try.

“I’m Ong Seongwoo, by the way, yeah, Ong, please don’t make me repeat that again.” Seongwoo chuckled again when confusion hit Daniel’s face, but quickly nodded afterward.

“I’m Daniel, Kang Daniel, it’s nice to know you, Seongwoo-ssi,” Daniel replied almost immediately.

“You can forget the formality honestly, we are going to be stuck with each other for like the next fifteen hours, might as well get comfortable with each other, right?” Seongwoo grinned before they went back into silence as the plane start moving.

“So, are you an exchange student?” Seongwoo asked to initiate another conversation.

“Do I look like a student to you?” Daniel raised his eyebrow with a smile, there is probably no harm to repay the latter’s friendliness, besides, maybe Daniel does need a friend. “Definitely, you can’t fool me, son.” Seongwoo shook his head as he scoffed.

“I didn’t lie, I just graduated.” Daniel chuckled for the first time since he stepped inside the airport.

“Engineering,” Seongwoo cut in with a tone of utter confidence. “Business actually, but close.” Daniel shrugged nonchalantly. “You are pretty bad at reading people, are you not?” Daniel added.

“They didn’t really teach that in law school, so it’s not really my fault.” Seongwoo shrugged this time. “And by the way, it makes me your _hyung_ , show me some respect,” Seongwoo taunted afterward.

“I thought we are throwing the formality out of the window?” Daniel recalled with a cheeky grin.

“We are keeping the _hyung_ ,” Seongwoo declared and Daniel laughed at the response.

“Anyway, thanks for not letting me down, because you look so much better when you laugh.” Seongwoo said amusedly and out of the blue – and it startled Daniel, when was the last time someone has something to say about him being happy? “You looked like you wanted to eat a person when I first seated here. And I thought _wow_ , I am sitting right next to a major asshole or some emotional teenager,” Seongwoo continued.

“You turned out to be just right in the middle, I guess,” Seongwoo concluded with a shrug and Daniel nodded his head.

“Great to know that,” Daniel replied as he watched Seongwoo getting into a more comfortable seat position.

“Why go to New York alone? Celebrating your freedom from university _not_ with your friends? You don’t strike like an outcast to me.” Seongwoo smirked.

“I don’t know, a friend of mine actually told me to go travel, some parts of the world perhaps? He said something like, _you are young, have too much time to spare, but too little will to live_ , so here I am, on a plane to somewhere far,” Daniel elaborated and Seongwoo just nodded in reply.

“Yeah, my friend told me something like that too, _Seongwoo, you have everything except the fire to lit up your soul, you should go see more of the world_. What the fuck is that suppose to mean? Minhyun really have a stupid mouth sometimes when all he wants to do is getting rid of me.” Seongwoo shook his head and Daniel is pretty sure that whoever this Minhyun is, the person doesn’t sound as bad as how Seongwoo mimicked earlier.

“So basically, both of our friends thought that we needed some closure and it could be achieved by escaping Seoul. And also, we ended up sitting next to each other. Pretty much for a coincidence, huh?” Daniel raised his eyebrow with a small smile playing on his lips. 

“I don’t believe in coincidence.” Seongwoo smirked in response. “You don’t strike me as a guy who believe in fate.” Daniel shrugged. 

“I don’t. But I do believe in the inevitable,” Seongwoo replied.

“How is that any different than fate?” Daniel questioned in pure curiosity. 

“It’s just different, you’ll understand when you grow up, kid.” Seongwoo said as he patted Daniel’s shoulder as if it was the most normal thing ever and frankly, Daniel didn’t hate it as much as he thought he would when Seongwoo first took his seat.

“You can’t be that much older than I am,” Daniel deadpanned. “You never know that.” Seongwoo grinned in an annoying kind of way. “I’ll know eventually, we have fourteen hours and ten minutes to go,” Daniel replied as he raised his phone and pointed at the digital clock on the screen.

“Well, maybe that’s all the time you have to get to know me.”

 

\---

 

New York during summer is more bearable than Seoul, Daniel concluded since a long time ago. He ended up in the same city his family used to go when he was a child, so Daniel knows New York better than any other city just by a bit.

The jetlag is still consuming him alive, but he managed to grab something to eat that night. It was a chilly lonely night, why did Daniel think it was such a grand idea to explore it all by himself? Maybe Jaehwan is really reckless for making him doing this alone.

So he didn’t end up being an actual friend with Ong Seongwoo – their friendship was just a fling, Daniel supposed, because he didn’t even get the older’ number. But Daniel searched him up back in the hotel to make sure that he is not on the list of wanted people – and thank goodness he is not, but Seongwoo is not really that normal either.

So, Seongwoo is truly only a year older than him and seems to have like everything indeed. His parents are both big figures – his father runs a huge and successful law firm and his mother is a politician – it is really not that hard to find his background with his surname. Based solely on his Instagram page, Seongwoo has a big sister, Minhyun is indeed the name of his friend, and his life seems rather okay.

Daniel decided that maybe he shouldn’t give too much thought about it, or life in general itself, so he entered a bar nearby when he was passing the street. He likes bar more than club in all honesty, he gets a great deal of good drinks without having some woman or man going down on him and without any dub-step remix ringing on his ears. He then took a seat on the stool and ordered some beer while scrolling his phone screen.

Jaehwan sent him some weird updates about their master’s classes they would be taking together in fall – Daniel’s head is about to shut down thinking about going back to university again right after he got out.

“I would buy you a drink and flirt with you but we knew each other already, it’s no fun.” Daniel snorted at the statement because the voice is too familiar – it’s the only voice he had been hearing for hours just a day before.

“Twice the coincidence, Seongwoo hyung?” Daniel turned his head and found the male is already seating on the stool beside him, sipping his drink.

“When will you learn that there is no such thing as a coincidence?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow in amusement. “But you have to admit this is quite impressive, there are thousands of bars in New York perhaps, but we just have to choose the same one,” Daniel replied. 

“Well, it is. That’s why I know we are so fucked when I saw you entering that door.” Seongwoo smirked. 

“And why is that?” Daniel tilted his head. “Because I have something going on in my mind and it is kind of crazy and you are probably going to say no,” Seongwoo answered nonchalantly.

“Try me nonetheless.” Daniel shrugged and took a gulp of his beer.

“I have been thinking that we sat next to each other for fifteen hours and even though we spend like more than a half of it sleeping, we haven’t killed each other yet, or at least have any desire to do so, which is so fucking cool.” Seongwoo explained as he finished his drink.

“And I thought hey, I need a friend, and this trip isn’t actually an _exciting_ trip for me, and I know that much that it isn’t for you either. And you don’t know what the fuck happened to me as much as I know what the fuck happened to you.”

“So, I thought maybe, just maybe, if I meet you again, I can’t let the third meeting to be consisted with another out-of-courtesy greeting, like I genuinely want to be your friend. And I haven’t felt like being friends with someone in the longest time.” Seongwoo admitted and Daniel still staring at him, clueless.

“And my conclusion is, let’s stay together, for the rest of this trip, you can pick the next city, and I’ll just pick the next two, same thing, we can decide together too,” Seongwoo proposed at the end.

And it feels like it took Daniel eternity to actually understand what the latter is saying, before he burst into a slight chuckle. “You and me, on a trip together? Hyung, have your parents ever told you not to trust any strangers?” Daniel snorted, again but Seongwoo was looking rather serious about it.

“Fair enough, well, I did mention that this is going to be crazy but give me your phone.” Seongwoo replied instead and stretch out his hand to Daniel.

And Daniel only stared at the older’ hand for a good five seconds before he actually fished out his phone from his pocket, like it’s a very natural thing to do. Seongwoo then typed some couple of things before handing the device back to Daniel. “There, I have made us following each other on Instagram, and I will just pretend that I didn’t see my username on your recent search, which is super fine. And I saved you my phone number, so we are friends now,” Seongwoo announced.

“You have a fucking weird standard of calling someone your friend.” Daniel laughed instead but he likes it, he likes being easy with someone is actually that effortless.

“I learned that I don’t want to complicate things anymore, you know, if you actually want to be friends with someone then you should actually do something about it,” Seongwoo replied with a grin.

“Besides, I can quite tell that we are free, happy, confused and lonely at the same time. It’s miserable and magical,” Seongwoo stated.

“That’s sounds like a Taylor Swift’s lyric, you know, I don’t know you are into her music,” Daniel deadpanned. “I’m not, but we all have that phase, it had passed but the lyric seems to be fitting, so, might as well use it for good cause.” Seongwoo shrugged nonchalantly instead.

“And the good cause is what exactly?” Daniel leaned back to his stool, watching the older ordered another glass of whiskey. 

“Let’s go on a trip together,” Seongwoo concluded.

“Let’s try the third time,” Daniel proposed out of the blue. “I have your number so I could text you nonetheless, but let’s try the inevitable.” The younger added and of course it fascinated Seongwoo.

“Well, I am here until next week.”

 

\---

 

A week ago, Daniel would have thought that he must’ve been really crazy to agree with some stranger’s idea. But to be fair though, Seongwoo can’t really be counted as a stranger anymore – an acquaintance maybe – but still, it was so weird for him to literally half-agreeing on the older’ idea.

What happened to making a time for his self after abandoning himself for so long already? What the hell happened to making _him_ the priority of the trip?

And the worst part is that Seongwoo makes it like it is an insane idea that Daniel should definitely try – and honestly, Daniel hasn’t intrigued by new things like that for a while already. What harm could he get from letting someone who he knows nothing about, to be alongside him to wherever he is going? Sounds like a terribly perfect plan. 

It has been almost a week since Daniel saw Seongwoo. They would text occasionally without really telling each other what they are up to respectively, it is just to make sure that none of them back away from the idea itself and yet, they haven’t seen each other since the last time at the bar, both still trying to test the universe about the probability and chances. 

And the universe is still giving them zero result until Daniel entered Barnes and Noble on the fifth avenue.

Seongwoo was holding a Starbucks cup and a hand-sized book, while holding up his phone to his ears – and the older smirked when he spotted Daniel who is frozen on the entrance. “Inevitable means that something is just certain to happen, unavoidable at its best,” Seongwoo said first thing first as he pointed the book at Daniel as he moved away his phone. “That means you are just meant to be stuck with me, kiddo.”

“You are only a year older than me, please stop calling me that.” Daniel scoffed.

“So it’s officially a yes?” Seongwoo opened his arms wide and grinned. “What? Am I supposed to hug you or something to like _seal the deal_?” Daniel raised his eyebrow jokingly.

“If you want to then go ahead.” Seongwoo shrugged instead. “Are you always like this with new people? Because that isn’t normal.” Daniel replied.

“Just trying a new approach in life, I guess? I’m usually more self-composed if I must say,” Seongwoo commented cheekily.

“Me too, so, let’s hug for the best then.” Daniel shouldn’t have done that to be honest – hugging Seongwoo in public in a totally friendly way, which made it awkward as fuck and Daniel wanted nothing more than to bury himself – but Seongwoo just laughed and returned the hug shortly. 

“Look at us being best friends already.” Seongwoo squeezed Daniel’s body for a bit before letting the younger go. 

“I totally can’t wait to spend times with you,”.

(In New York, Daniel learns that his meeting with Seongwoo is far too real to be called a coincidence, but too nonsensical to be called fate.)

**Porto** **⎯**

Seongwoo’s first instinct when he saw the bed is to just throw his whole body to it, abandoning his bag and everything, including a stunned Daniel, who sat on his own single bed beside Seongwoo. It didn’t take them more than five minutes to decide where they want to go next – and Portugal is indeed a nice country, or Porto to be exact honestly. 

The coastal city is alive but less instantaneous than New York and that’s probably what Seongwoo and Daniel need – also probably because they have port wine production so Daniel agreed immediately.

“Is this a quick outlook of what travelling with you would be like? Spending days on bed?” Seongwoo hear Daniel’s laugh and he could even almost _hear_ the younger male grinned. Daniel probably has the most infectious and genuine smile that even Seongwoo doesn’t really need to see to make sure that it is there – and it such a shame that Seongwoo also notices that Daniel doesn’t really show it that much. And it is indeed almost odd that Daniel trusts him enough to do all of _this_. 

“Give me a break,” Seongwoo groaned instead. “I am usually very active so don’t worry, being with you just drained my energy.” It is even weirder that he barely knows Daniel but he knows when Daniel’s smile faltered without even glancing at the younger. “I’m just kidding, will I be taking you if you really have that kind of effect on me? Loosen up a bit, Daniel, you are doing fine,” Seongwoo assured after a silence.

“Like I honestly need your acceptance, hyung. You are the one who dragged me, so you have to bare with me even if I am a major dickhead,” Daniel scoffed, but he is smiling again and Seongwoo still can tell. 

“Well, well, look at you recovering from sadness so fast,” Seongwoo taunted, turning his head to see Daniel, who is scratching the back of his head and smiled again, rather bitterly.

“It’s not good to dwell on it for so long either.” Daniel shrugged at the end. “I sense a personal experience coming through.” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow in curiosity. “It doesn’t matter anymore, hyung,” Daniel commented instead, turning away his head.

“It doesn’t matter anymore only when you can look a person in the eye and tell them exactly that they don’t matter anymore. And the question is, can you do that?” Seongwoo said rather eagerly – was it frustration? Maybe.

“I sense a personal experience coming through.” Daniel deadpanned before smirking mischievously and Seongwoo winced at the thought. It was one of the things that Seongwoo would very rather not to discuss about, but what is it about Daniel that makes Seongwoo actually want to tell him things? Maybe because Daniel probably shares the same sentiment based on what Seongwoo observed in those past hours spent with the younger.

Daniel has gone through some shit before going on a trip, that’s for sure and Seongwoo did too. After he got out from that plane at New York, he called Minhyun almost immediately to confirm a couple of things, like how Daniel actually not that unfamiliar and turns out that his father might be business friends with Daniel’s father.

 _Daniel is a reserved kid_ , Minhyun stated based on his research because _fuck the court and my current case when I could investigate your new boy instead_ , Minhyun said.

The problem is that Seongwoo realizes that Daniel is more than just _reserved_. It isn’t even the right adjective to describe Daniel, Seongwoo concluded – the latter was then continuing his mobile game quest while pouting and groaning loudly when he misses something for fuck’s sake, where was his book from a city ago?

“Daniel,” Seongwoo called the latter out, which Daniel only replied with a small hum as he focusing on the screen the entire time. 

“Let’s go out,” Seongwoo added as he moved himself to Daniel’s bed almost like a habit that even Seongwoo doesn’t know where he get the bravery and the comfortableness from – it was just suddenly there, he can’t quite pinpoint when but maybe the moment Daniel showed that toothy smile on the plane, which works like a fucking magic.

“Why are you on my bed, hyung!” Daniel chuckled instead as he tried to push away the older male slightly – and maybe being at ease with someone is supposed to be uncomplicated just like that.

“Maybe to stay on budget, we should just rent a place with a single bed for the next cities,” Seongwoo concluded instead.

“Do you even have a budget,” Daniel deadpanned, again and Seongwoo actually shook his head in return. “Exactly, so let’s stick with double single beds in the meantime,” Daniel commented.

“That sentence actually implies a probability of us sharing a bed in the future.” Seongwoo shrugged nonchalantly.

“You were saying what earlier? Let’s go out? Let’s go,” Daniel stated out of the blue as he stood up from his bed abruptly, which made Seongwoo burst into a small laugh – the younger male is kind of blushing, Seongwoo could tell with the way Daniel turning away from him. 

They finally got out from their rented-apartment just at the riverside quarter of Riberia and the neighborhood has many sidewalks cafés and bars which makes it a nice location indeed to stay – also the wind is blowing in the right way and the sun is also shining in the nicest way possible. Seongwoo was leading the way while Daniel was busy admiring the city when they passed an interesting building.

“It’s called _Capela das Almas_.” Seongwoo tried to sound Portuguese, which made Daniel to raise his eyebrow in amusement. “You only sound half bad,” Daniel commented, while looking at the blue-tiled building behind them.

“Chapel of Souls.” Seongwoo glared at the younger afterward. “Well, it’s beautiful and the tiles are another level of insane art, you don’t get to see this kind of building everyday, except when you are in Porto.” Daniel grinned.

“It’s representing moments in the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Catherine, those tiles,” Seongwoo said as they both admiring the building from the sidewalk, scanning from the top to the bottom.

“Wow, and I thought you are a lawyer, now you are some kind of historian,” Daniel snorted.

“I am not but my friend is, and he goes with the name of Google,” Seongwoo cut in.

“Sounds like a great dude.” Daniel shrugged.

“The best dude, a hundred percent a loyal and intellectual friend.” Seongwoo nodded.

They decided to go inside the church and the inside set like a typical church in general but something about it makes both Seongwoo and Daniel stood there in awe. “You know that feeling when you are somewhere that you don’t really see yourself going often, that’s when you know exactly why people tell us to travel,” Seongwoo commented as he nudged Daniel’s arm slightly.

“It’s a fancy name for a stunning place though,” Daniel stated instead. “Why do you think they called it that? Chapel of Souls?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow at the question and Daniel was still bust admiring the sculpture of the area itself when the younger asked him.

“Maybe because soul needs guidance? Like any other invisible things, it tends to get lost a lot.”

 

\---

 

“About the earlier thing,” Daniel said out of the blue when they are taking a stroll at the riverside – he is holding a raspberry ice cream and Seongwoo has the mint chocolate-chip one.

“Which one? We got a lot of earlier things,” Seongwoo replied with a small laugh. “The one about, you are only over it when you can tell that in front of that someone, that thing.” Daniel turned away his head, which Seongwoo found quite endearing.

The thing is that Seongwoo genuinely likes Daniel – the kind of liking someone that is not really wanting to get into relationship, just the kind of liking someone’s presence. Seongwoo is not lying when he said he is normally more self-composed and calm and obviously doesn’t go around asking people whether they want to travel with him – but Daniel seems like he needs it as much as Seongwoo needs it. 

“I’m trying to get over someone – wait no, I got over him, I’m just trying to function as myself before him,” Daniel confessed. “I know you feel like it’s great that we don’t fucking know what the hell happened to each of us, but I just feel like you should know what kind of mess you are dealing with.” Daniel smiled bitterly – Seongwoo fucking hates it, bitter smile looks like a mismatch foundation on Daniel.

“Was it a bad break up?” Seongwoo asked with a careful tone, as if his word could hurt the younger even more.

“Well, maybe it’s great if we have a relationship at the first place, it was more like a one-sided love?” Daniel chuckled and he still sounded miserable that Seongwoo feels like throwing his ice cream to someone’s face – what the actual fuck. 

“How do you know it was one-sided?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow when Daniel decided to sit at one of the bench near the river while still busy eating his ice cream.

“He’s just not into me, I mean, he always sees me as a younger brother and just that? I never asked because I knew the answer already. This is the kind of question that better left unanswered.” Daniel shrugged when Seongwoo took a seat next to him.

“He sounds like a dick,” Seongwoo concluded playfully. “It’s not his fault actually, it’s more like my problem and I don’t want to make it as his problem too,” Daniel replied instead.

“You are too good for human’s race, Daniel, I wish I met more people like you,” Seongwoo scoffed.

“Do you still like – love him?” Seongwoo added and Daniel looked like the question hit him at every wrong spot and Seongwoo feels like a shit immediately. If someone asked him the same type of question, he would probably run away – but Daniel shrugged it off with another smile.

“I don’t supposedly, I’m not sure, sometimes it still tingles though, I should start liking someone that potentially will shower me with the same amount of love.” Daniel laughed at the end.

“Right,” Seongwoo replied shortly because for some reasons, somehow it hit too close to home – love someone who will love you equally the same. It is a basic equation, like one plus one equals two in math, but really, it is much more difficult to be done in real life that it makes Seongwoo wish he is still in school and his only problem is how to measure the density of water or who discovered America. 

“Whatever though, I’m sorry that I have saddened the whole vibe, love is stupid anyway.” Daniel shrugged as he nudged Seongwoo’s arm for assurance. “Love isn’t stupid, Daniel, people is.” Seongwoo smirked.

“Wow, aren’t you a philosopher much? Who’s your friend now? Some fifteen years old girl on Tumblr?” Daniel chuckled loudly that he almost choked on his ice cream. “Tumblr is a great website you know, life changing experience indeed,” Seongwoo answered almost sarcastically.

“Please don’t say that again.” Daniel chuckled again. “I’m just saying, that website is truly the best of the –,”

Seongwoo is stopped by an ice cream shoved right in front of his lips – raspberry flavor is kind of sour and sweet at the same time, it made Seongwoo grimace a bit. But more than that, the fact that Daniel is sharing his ice cream with him, is what startled him.

Is it crossing their limits? Do they even have boundaries? Should they have some kind of a contract beforehand? How to fucking react to that? So Seongwoo decided to take a large bite of Daniel’s ice cream – which made Daniel to gasp in horror.

“You could’ve just licked it,” Daniel said in disbelief when he saw more than a quarter of his ice cream gone. “You weren’t actually giving any instruction,” Seongwoo replied while trying to deal with the brain freeze afterward.

“That’s common sense!” Daniel retorted. “How am I supposed to know?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow playfully, but Daniel looked way sadder than he should be, it almost looked like Seongwoo kicked a puppy.

“Goodness, I’ll buy you another cone,” Seongwoo said as he ruffled Daniel’s hair lightly and the younger was still pouting. “It’s fine, but maybe you could buy dinner,” Daniel replied eventually with a mischievous smirk.

“What did I sign up for honestly?” Seongwoo sighed when Daniel tapped his back.

“This is fun, you are fun,” Daniel commented afterward. “Thanks for bringing me along,” He added. “No, no, and yes, your welcome,” Seongwoo replied nonchalantly. “Also, looking forward to know more about you.” Seongwoo grinned.

“Me too, for someone who engage this whole thing, you are more discreet than I expected you to be,” Daniel answered along with a wide smile that Seongwoo really can’t resist for some reason.

“Because I don’t just _engage_. I observe and do things rather quietly, in short, I don’t attack people everyday like I did to you,” Seongwoo stated.

“Why did you do that to me though? Except for the fact that we spent fifteen hours sitting next to each other and all the events afterward,” Daniel asked and honestly Seongwoo could just say that because he is a lonely piece of shit – but that would only tell the most basic thing and he knows that Daniel wouldn’t settle with that, even he wouldn’t be satisfied with that kind of answer.

“You radiate something weird, I guess I am that curious.” Seongwoo shrugged and Daniel doesn’t even look confused – he should be, but instead he nodded at the statement, almost like he understands.

“Kind of a suppressed catastrophe,” Seongwoo continued. “That’s a compliment, right?” Daniel grinned anyway.

“Because it’s been awhile since someone said such nice thing about me,”.

(In Porto, Seongwoo learns that Daniel once fell in love with someone who doesn’t see the light in him.)

 

 **Edinburgh** **⎯**

Daniel is trying not to laugh when Seongwoo lost at the basketball game, again even though he is the one who suggest the whole going to an arcade thing – he really sucks at it, Daniel could tell. As an avid player of arcade games himself, Daniel finds it really funny that Seongwoo is even trying. “You are really terrible,” Daniel commented when the older male missed the ball and it even bounced to the other machine.

“Can we go somewhere instead?” The machine screamed _you lose_ when Seongwoo threw his hands to the open air afterward – it’s pretty amusing. “Like I didn’t suggest that since half an hour ago? Sure!” Daniel chimed with a wide smile and Seongwoo let out an annoyed groan as he pulled Daniel’s jacket slightly as a signal for them to exit the arcade building.

Edinburgh’s weather is quite chilly that evening – but both of them decided that they like the town enough for them to stay. The capital of Scotland is both old and new at the same time, just like being with the older male starting to feels like for Daniel. Now that Seongwoo knows his one of main problems in life, they feel a lot closer than New York – it almost like Seongwoo acknowledges, or more, almost like Seongwoo know exactly what it feels like.

“Have you ever been to Scotland?” Seongwoo asked and Daniel shook his head, way before the stepped their foot in the city, or even booked the plane tickets – it was when they visited Caves Ferreria, one of Porto’s notable port wine tasting cellars. “Me neither,” Seongwoo added the next second and it was some sort of an unspoken agreement that they should see the city next.

It’s like taking a bite of your favorite chocolate cookies when you were five years old twenty years later and it tastes like home – it tastes like similarity, and it feels great. Daniel likes the sense of closeness, even though Seongwoo never really explains how or express why – maybe later. Maybe eventually, Daniel would understand why Seongwoo take him along on this trip. 

He never really got a closure of what suppressed catastrophe supposed to mean – it’s a pretty direct words though, Seongwoo sees Daniel as someone who holds a lot of things back and that’s not even wrong. Daniel realizes that Seongwoo is quite a very good observer like that, despite him missing some points when they first met.

Daniel once fell in love with someone who doesn’t love him back – Jaehwan told him that it was unbelievably dumb and a waste of time. Jaehwan is wrong though, because it is not only a waste of time, but also his energy, his will of life, and himself. Daniel learns that there is indeed a darker shade of heartbreak, and it is called silent rejection – the kind of rejection that you didn’t hear out loud, but you know it is going to happen.

“Do you know that Queen Margaret died in Edinburgh Castle?” Seongwoo throws a question, while Daniel is busy admiring the city from the bus’s window – they took the first bus to Castle Hill after exiting the arcade. “Do you know that that is not the kind of information we both need before we go to a place?” Daniel raised his eyebrow in amusement.

“I’m just saying for precaution.” Seongwoo shrugged nonchalantly as he went back to his tourist pamphlet, right before his phone rang – and it honestly has been ringing for a couple of time that day. Seongwoo picked up the first one but decided to ignore the rest of them, including the newest one too.

“You sure that’s not some kind of important calls?” Daniel snorted, before he decided that it is probably the wrong question to ask because it supposed to be none of his business.

Because if Seongwoo wanted to keep his shit for himself even after Daniel spilled his, then Daniel understands that – they should have some boundaries after all. “Nah, it’s just stuffs that are not that important,” Seongwoo assured as he gave Daniel a small smile, yet Daniel knows the older is lying to him because the smile seems too forced and his voice shakes a little.

Daniel has been observing too, because when you are stuck with a person for more than a day, you can’t help but studying about the said-person. But again, Daniel shrugs it off because it isn’t supposed to be his problem if Seongwoo doesn’t want it to be. And so the rest of the trip went smoothly as Seongwoo threw a couple of facts about the castle before they actually arrived at the location.

And just like every castle ever, Edinburgh Castle is huge and astonishing and feels like they are in some sort of fairytale – and it is a good day because there aren’t too many visitors that day and both thanked their luck for that. They managed to explore the famous part of the castle, take a stroll on The Great Hall, and also The Royal Palace – it was a great attraction and very amusing at its best. 

And everything went great with Seongwoo casually throwing one or two jokes about ghosts and the crown, and Daniel found everything funny and old – and Daniel likes it that they get along pretty quick but very well, and Seongwoo is a really cool person who has the nicest kind of charms, and Daniel likes it being with him. Maybe it is because Daniel gets to show himself more rather than trying to impress him. 

Being with Seongwoo, feels right in every way possible.

Daniel thought that maybe the air of Edinburgh is kind of making everything better that it is, and the fact that the city is really pretty, and the view from one of the balcony is too nice to be missed. So, Daniel waits there as he leaned to the stone railing of the balcony, because Seongwoo left minutes earlier due to someone ringing him again, and he decided to pick it up – he said it was from work and Daniel just nodded in response.

Daniel decided to check Jaehwan’s message about things going down in Seoul, and his advice about what to try in Scotland as if Jaehwan has ever been to Scotland before – and also, being Jaehwan, he managed to ask about the hot guy (Seongwoo) as much as possible.

 _Daniel, literally no one in their right mind would ask some stranger to go on a trip with them if they are not into you_. Jaehwan said two cities ago, when Daniel told him the whole fiasco.

 _No, we just, I guess, he relate something with me. I think he is as broken as I am_. Daniel replied to Jaehwan’s statement.

 _You don’t need to make everything so damn poetic like this is some kind of fiction, you dumb ass, you are into him too that’s why you agreed, case solved_. Daniel would throw a chair on Jaehwan’s face if he could, but he couldn’t and that’s the sole reason why Kim Jaehwan is still breathing – Jaehwan is honestly everything you want and you don’t want in a friend.

Seongwoo finally came back after ten more minutes, and looks like he went through some kind of shit, Daniel could tell immediately because his face just give himan obvious hints like the frown and the knitted eyebrow. “Working life is hard, huh?” Daniel decided to ask away, and Seongwoo burst into a chuckle all of the sudden.

“There are harder things than that,” Seongwoo replied instead.

“This is one of them, yeah?” Daniel raised his eyebrow and it came out more like a statement than a question. “Yeah.” Seongwoo nodded faintly as he leaned towards the balcony – Daniel followed his move and they both went into silence for a good minute.

“Have you ever been in love, Daniel?” Seongwoo suddenly asked, eyes still fixed on the scenery and it startled Daniel to the skin.

“Sorry, wrong question,” Seongwoo added a chuckle afterward as he turned his head to Daniel. “I don’t know, I guess,” Daniel replied nonetheless. “ I mean I don’t exactly know what it is to be _in_ love, I don’t know what it feels like to have someone that will reciprocate the feelings. I guess I know how love feels, but I don’t exactly know how it works? Does that make any sense?” Daniel laughed rather awkwardly but Seongwoo nodded in return.

“But it’s terrifying, is it not? How it could just fucking break down the walls you have built so dearly in a snap of a finger, and someone could actually come inside and destroy everything you were trying to protect, like your own sense, perhaps?” Seongwoo continued.

“I don’t know that, I don’t love someone who is willing to break me like that. But it is terrifying on how willing you are and ready to change for someone to wreck you.” Daniel shook his head and Seongwoo smiled in amusement.

“Right, even if you made yourself so faint that you believe no one would ever try to approach you. But there will always be one person, who will come and made you think that maybe love isn’t so awful at all, and that maybe you could give them a piece a of you and that they won’t do anything bad about it. But, they will still do that at some point, and you will still call it love,” Seongwoo answered. 

“That sounds so fucked up, hyung.” Seongwoo looked up to see Daniel tilting his head in frustration. “I am fucked up, Daniel, you also have to know what kind of mess you are agreeing to.” Seongwoo smiled bitterly in return before he took a deep sigh. 

“Minhyun calls it toxic, even when I first got together with this douchebag whose name shall not be called,” Seongwoo suddenly continued and honestly, Daniel doesn’t even expect him to tell Daniel his story even after all of that. “Unnamed asshole, copy that.” Daniel cut in and Seongwoo smiled, genuinely this time and it makes Daniel happy in some sort of way.

“We were in a relationship where you know as soon as you saw it, that it definitely won’t work out, he is too possessive for my liking and too uptight, too stern and I just hate everything, but he makes me feel like it was love, and I believed him. It just so screwed up, he even threaten Minhyun at some point, I mean, Minhyun is one of my associates, of course, I am seeing Minhyun everyday.” Seongwoo shrugged.

“And I broke up with him like three months ago after goodness knows how many months of relationship? He’s still haunting me, literally and figuratively, saying shits like I won’t find a person that will protect me like he does,” Seongwoo added. “But like, at some point it still hurt because I opened up so much to him, because of a blind, stupid trust that I gave away for free,” Seongwoo concluded.

“He was the one who has been calling you, right?” Daniel asked instead and Seongwoo nodded nonetheless. “Minhyun was the one who called earlier though, he is about to sue the unnamed asshole for disturbing Minhyun instead.” Seongwoo grinned. “I blocked his number and account just now, should’ve done that since goodness knows when,” Seongwoo snorted.

“Do you still, like, love him?” Seongwoo asked the same question a city ago, and like Daniel has predicted, even asking it have the same effect as hearing the question itself – it hit the wounded spot in every way possible and it made him feel like he could throw up – it might sound like a revenge but it is honestly not, Daniel genuinely wants to know, he sincerely wants to understand.

“I don’t even know if I love him on the first place, Daniel. Like I’ve said, he made it feels like love and I believed it and him,” Seongwoo replied hastily. “I’m sorry,” Daniel said out of nowhere – he really is, because he thinks Seongwoo only deserves better than that. “I’m sorry that someone did that to you,” Daniel added quickly when Seongwoo was about to say something.

“Yeah, I am sorry too, for you, that you have to hear that,” Seongwoo responded instead. “I’m sorry that it makes us the two lonely dudes that have a shit love story and just ended up being on a trip together because we are trying to move on with life,” Seongwoo said as they walked back to the building side to side.

And it feels terribly weird for Daniel to realize that they are coming out from the building become even closer than they did when they first came in – and Daniel likes it, and not about Seongwoo having a terrible experience in love, but Daniel just likes learning more about Seongwoo in general and Daniel has not been that excited at figuring something – someone out.

“You gave away blind, stupid trust to me too anyway, if you did that once and it end up shitty, why did you do it again? It’s a very bad habit to keep, hyung,” Daniel scoffed and Seongwoo smirked in return.

“I did, yeah, it was an impulsive decision, honestly,” Seongwoo replied. “And I opened up to you too, which should be a fucking bad idea. I’m repeating my mistakes, right now,” Seongwoo snorted at the end.

“But weirdly enough, I am having fun doing it,”.

(In Edinburgh, Daniel learns that Seongwoo has a shit issue with faith, but he gives it to Daniel nevertheless.)

 

 **London** **⎯**

There is always something about London that makes Seongwoo wants to stay – like a missing piece of puzzle, like it’s a bad thing that Seongwoo couldn’t help but love. It has been the third time Seongwoo been there and coming with Daniel makes London feels like it’s a brand new city all over again. “There are two places in the world where men could effectively disappear – the city of London or the South Seas _.”_ Daniel said out of the blue.

“Herman Melville.” Seongwoo nodded his head in approval. “You read and done your homework, very well, I almost thought that the Banana Yoshimoto book is only for image building or something but you actually _read_ ,” Seongwoo added in amusement.

“It was at first, I was trying to impress my crush so bad that I started to read classics, and I think I fell in love with books instead.” Daniel shrugged.

“That’s relieving to know. How long have you been crushing again?” Seongwoo scoffed – they were sitting at one of the bars, trying to book a ticket for British Summer Time as their sole reason to go to London.

“Two years, I guess, pretty long for a crush, I was legitimately in love,” Daniel snorted as if it was the most ridiculous thing he said.

“Kid, you didn’t even get laid, at least I did. So you don’t get to talk a thing about being in love.” Seongwoo scoffed almost smugly.

“Great, you now make love sounds like it’s all about the sex.” Daniel raised his thumb out of annoyance. “That’s the only good thing that came out from it as long as I remember so don’t judge me, half of it weren’t even that good,” Seongwoo deadpanned while his hands are still busy tapping his phone screen.

“So Bruno Mars or Michael Bublé?” Daniel raised his eyebrow.

“Yeah, like why not both though? _We came a long way to London from Scotland_.” Seongwoo has a shit British accent and even he grimaced at his own words. “That’s the worst accent I have ever heard in my entire life, swear on it,” Daniel commented.

“Fuck you, Daniel, you can’t even pronounce Thames River correctly.” Seongwoo scoffed when Daniel turned his phone to Seongwoo’s direction.

“How about we pick one and then we go to the Wireless festival?” Daniel said as he showed Seongwoo the website he was browsing. “You want me to go to what’s-look-like-Coachella with you?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow. 

“We are going to get _lit_ , old man.” Daniel grinned as he put both of his hands in the air and did some body roll. 

“Like college all over again, with all the boost and some loud music, also a bunch of hormonal teenager? Fucking great,” Seongwoo scoffed.

“You sounds like you are having a middle age crisis, hyung, you are only a year older than I am,” Daniel huffed. “Exactly, I’m a whole year more experienced than you will ever be,” Seongwoo countered. 

“So, Wireless and Bruno Mars?” Daniel raised his eyebrow in anticipation and Seongwoo really couldn’t say no to that kind of eyes and smiles Daniel is giving him right then.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” Seongwoo agreed at the end as Daniel mouthing a _yes_ when he went back to his phone screen. “Should we like, also watch some local band?” Seongwoo asked afterward.

“Well, okay, but tell me British bands that you know,” Daniel challenged the latter. “Oh, let’s try to list together in unison, okay, one, two –,”

“Coldplay.” “Bring Me The Horizon.” – Seongwoo was pleasantly surprised that Daniel actually knows Bring Me The Horizon. “Coldplay, huh? _Running in circles, running up tails, heads on a science apart_ ,” Daniel suddenly sang which made Seongwoo’s lips turn upward.

“You only know that one song, are you not?” Seongwoo said in amusement.

“ _Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones_ , _turn into something beautiful_.” Seongwoo laughed immediately when Daniel sang out of tune towards the end of the lyric. “That’s my favorite, please don’t ruin it for me,” Seongwoo said afterward.

“I only make it better.” Daniel shrugged nonchalantly. “Again, one, two –,”

“Keane.” “Radiohead.” – Seongwoo grinned at the choice, why do they have to be so different but it was so funny to think about. “ _And if you have a minute why don’t we go_ –.” “ _But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo_.” It was even funnier for Seongwoo to think that they just sang two completely different songs on the booth inside the bar downtown London – competing on who knows British band better.

“ _Talk about it somewhere only we know–_.” Daniel was stopped by a hand covering not just his mouth, but his entire face as well. “Shut up.” Seongwoo was laughing, he can’t believe that they are actually doing it in the public. Being weird with Daniel comes surprisingly natural too, which is a plus point to whatever they are – but Seongwoo doesn’t hate it even a bit.

“Want to go one last time?” Daniel raised his eyebrow again pretentiously. “One, two –,”

“One Direction.” “The – oh my goodness.” Seongwoo has to stop and laugh again at Daniel’s answer. “What? Everyone legitimately went _you’re insecure, don’t know what for_ , at some point of their life, don’t lie in front of my face like this.” Daniel shrugged. 

“And what are you saying again?” Daniel tilted his head when Seongwoo brought out his earphone instead and connect it to his phone.

“Here,” Seongwoo offered Daniel one of the earpiece, which Daniel took gladly – Seongwoo never shares his earphone or music before, because nobody really match his taste before – and it seems like Daniel doesn’t too, but Seongwoo just wants him to listen nonetheless. Daniel started to move along with the beat when Seongwoo played the first song, which resulted the latter to grin.

“ _Hey now call it a split ‘cause you know that you will_.” They sang in unison, which is pretty fucking impressive. Daniel laughed and fucking goodness, Seongwoo has never thought that Daniel’s laughter would sound that great with a song before – but it does and Seongwoo just stared at him in awe. “ _Now we run, run away from the boys in the blue_.”

“What?” Daniel noticed how Seongwoo became silent and detached the earpiece as he raised his eyebrow slightly in confusion – and he looks so endearing that Seongwoo in so close to scream – what the fuck, _nope_ , Seongwoo isn’t doing this and not going to think about it because Daniel is just – his lips looks so kissable right then.

Seongwoo wanted to palm himself because clearly something is wrong because if he recalls himself two cities ago, he clearly determined that he likes Daniel not like that, but then being with Daniel is effortlessly fun and they blend well in the middle of their lack of congenial – almost like they are synchronizing and Seongwoo doesn’t really plan that when he decided to bring Daniel along the way. He just got his heart broken for goodness’ sake.

“Nothing, let’s go back to the hotel?” Seongwoo said as he unconsciously put the other earpiece on Daniel’s ear again. Daniel looks confused but follows the older male while exiting the booth and eventually the bar, and the ended up walking side to side at the pavement, listening to the rest of the song.

“Give me your phone,” Daniel demanded as he stretch out his hand and Seongwoo gave him just like that, knowing Daniel wants to pick the next song as the familiar melody hit his sense just like that. “I kind of want to hear it after I badly sang it.” Daniel grinned cheekily. “At least you admit that it was bad.” Seongwoo mused.

“ _Come up to meet you_.” Daniel sang the first line and he looks so good beside him under the dim lightning of London – Daniel just fit in without even trying, or asking, and not even his ex did that. In fact, no one has ever done that, agreeing on one of Seongwoo ridiculously stupid ideas he got out of impulsiveness and then just run along with it – Daniel makes everything seems manageable.

“ _You don’t know how lovely you are_.”

 

\---

 

They had a bad luck with the Wireless’s ticket eventually but it was okay since both Seongwoo and Daniel ended up a bit tipsy and dancing along to Bruno Mars at the British Summer Time – Seongwoo doesn’t even remember when was the last time he dances like that in public, must be the alcohol acting up – and Daniel, goodness, Kang Daniel is really compatible with the concept of being happy. The younger male hasn’t stop smiling, which is a great thing because Seongwoo likes his smile. 

So the fact that Seongwoo called Minhyun to ask about how normal it is if Seongwoo want to kiss someone in like a friendly way – and Minhyun scoff so hard and said something similar with, _how could someone who graduated law school with honor, to be so dumb on his real life issue_ – made Seongwoo to realize that it is a serious issue.

“You don’t just put the term friendly and describe it with asking someone to travel the world with you, Seongwoo,” Minhyun said it like he has a fucking point.

 _I like Daniel_. Minhyun stated after one conversation he had forced to have with the latter because he is _that_ curious. _Yeah, I like him like you do too_. Seongwoo convinced Minhyun.

 _No, you don’t Seongwoo_ , _maybe you did at first, but you cannot last this long going around with someone you don’t even know, but you have fun figuring him out, and he does too_ , _that’s why you both stay_.

Minhyun is really not entitled to speak up about what he feels about Daniel, but that doesn’t mean Minhyun’s words doesn’t keep him up at night – or at the festival, when Daniel is singing along to _Versace On The Floor_. “Hyung, best night ever,” Daniel commented when the song is over and they were playing the intro to the next song.

“You kind of say that in every city we have landed our feet at,” Seongwoo replied, leaning closer to Daniel so the younger could hear him better.

“Well, yeah, it’s the truth every time.” Daniel shrugged nonchalantly. “Why? I’m almost positive that you are annoyed with me at some point.” Seongwoo chuckled.

“You are, you are still now,” Daniel said as he casually flicked Seongwoo’s forehead lightly – Seongwoo concluded maybe Daniel is drunk already, but the latter seems normal. “What was that for?” Seongwoo winced.

And before Daniel could answer, he suddenly shrieked when the familiar melody came from the stage. “No, nope, I don’t want to.” Seongwoo shook his head when Daniel stretched out his hand. “Okay, fine.” Seongwoo gave in, because what the hell, he couldn’t resist the song and the younger male. “ _It’s a beautiful night, we’re looking for something dumb to do_ ,”

Daniel twirled Seongwoo around when the first line was being sung. “ _Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you_.” They sang in unison, still look pretty fucking ridiculous but it was pretty fun – they were laughing and singing the whole damn song, and Seongwoo just forgets about everything else.

“At times like this, I genuinely think being friends with you sucks.” Seongwoo hears Daniel half-shouted and Seongwoo laughed at the statement.

“Why?” Seongwoo asked back when the crowd screamed in unison. “Because it’s like the perfect cliché moment to just kiss you but I can’t do that,” Daniel replied and Seongwoo only understands like twenty five percent of it and he looked confused as fuck, so he just raised his eyebrow and tried to lean closer to the younger.

So Daniel kissed him, lightly, in a totally _friendly_ manner – and worse, on the cheek. And it both stunned and froze Seongwoo to the bone, because he needed more time to understand what just happened. “Sorry, I just – it’s just, you know, uh, I thought, just, because you couldn’t understand me.” Daniel frowned when Seongwoo stayed silent.

“Yeah, you should be sorry,” Seongwoo replied at the end.

“Because that’s not my lips, Daniel.” Seongwoo smiled slightly and it was like a green light for Daniel immediately because the younger didn’t spend any more second before he pressed his lips on Seongwoo’s one and heck, Seongwoo likes it – he likes the way that even Daniel’s lips fit in just like that.

 

\---

 

“What was your ex boyfriend like?” Daniel asked curiously as he put another fries on his mouth – they were at some fast food restaurant after the concert that has drained all of their energy.

“Um, he was okay? I mean, I agreed to date him willingly so there have to be some times that I can’t really remember, when I liked him,” Seongwoo said while munching his burger. “It’s just that, maybe I don’t know him enough. I don’t know what he is like when he is not busy going after me, and goodness trust me, it’s like knowing two different persons.” Seongwoo shrugged.

“Relatable.” Daniel nodded in return.

“What is?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow in amusement.

“Being a whole different person. Sometimes you just want to impress someone you know, by becoming what they like instead of what you like.” Daniel replied flatly.

“What was your crush like then, Daniel?” Seongwoo asked back afterward.

“He was a model student, everyone loves him because he is just likeable, sleek, kind and, um, _reserved_ –.” Daniel paused for a second – Seongwoo then knows why Minhyun described Daniel with that one certain word. 

“He seems to have everything together. He looks super smart too, he reads and he does research for a fucking world peace or something. I wanted to impress him _so_ bad,” Daniel continued. “That I don’t know myself anymore, it was pathetic.”

“I mean, he listens to Bach or something and I listen to Artic Monkeys.” Daniel chuckled afterward.

“Hey, Artic Monkeys is great.” Seongwoo cut in.

“Yeah, but does he willing to give it a try? I doubt so, because he doesn’t care about what I like because it doesn’t matter for him –.” _I don’t matter for him_. Seongwoo could almost hear the unspoken words at the end. 

“Hey, I care about Artic Monkeys.” Seongwoo said as he playfully smiled and placed his palm over Daniel’s one. “I know, I’m so glad that I have you around,” Daniel replied with the mirroring mischievous smile, as he moved his other hand to clutch his chest as if he was that touched.

“It’s nice.” Daniel shrugged afterward.

“What is?” Seongwoo asked, again – he tilted his head as he grabbed a piece of fries.

“Being able to kiss someone half-soberly and not being awkward afterward.” Daniel blabbered and Seongwoo quirked his eyebrow in mirth.

“When was the last time you kiss someone, Daniel?” Seongwoo added a second later – and fuck, the way Daniel kind of blushed is adorable as hell, Seongwoo wants to kiss him again.

“A couple months ago? It was some graduation party that my friend threw and I was wasted and I don’t even remember who I kissed.” Daniel groaned.

“You know it was like a total anti-climax when you kissed my cheek, right?” Seongwoo taunted. “I thought, I mean, it was a friendlier approach,” Daniel replied instead. “Can we kiss again sometimes though?” Daniel asked and Seongwoo doesn’t even take a second to answer.

“Like in a _bro_ way or what?” Seongwoo knitted his eyebrow.

“Like in a bro way could work I guess. Like how we hug the first time in New York, we could like, do that too,” Daniel proposed like it was the best idea ever – Seongwoo’ conscience literally told him that it isn’t going to end well, but Seongwoo has been making mistakes that involve his feelings so why stop right then?

“You’re not a bad kisser, so okay.” This is so going to go down, Seongwoo knows it.

“You know what, hyung, this trip just put the word insane to another level,”

(In London, Seongwoo learns that Daniel is probably another bad thing that Seongwoo couldn’t help being invested in.)

 

 **Budapest** **⎯**

It took Daniel five seconds after they sealed the deal to realize that it was a fucking bad idea – like a bad, very bad idea because Seongwoo is just as probably confused as him. And the concept of them being friends that could kiss each other in a friendly way is just as absurd as it sounds – but damn, it feels so great. Why do things feel so fucking amazing when it was supposed to be wrong? 

Daniel lost a rock-paper-scissor game, that’s why they are in Budapest instead of Prague – and Daniel honestly doesn’t mind, because they were just having a hard time picking between the two cities, they just decided that the game should do it – and Budapest is a little majestic city, which makes it so beautiful.

“It’s the biggest hourglass in the world,” Seongwoo explained when they were at the City Park, and in front of Daniel stood a large circle work of art in the middle of area. “They called it the Timewheel, and it runs for a year,” Seongwoo continued – it somehow becomes Seongwoo’s part-time job to explain all the things they visited, and Daniel enjoys seeing Seongwoo enthusiastically find more random things to tell him. 

“So every new year, some people would just turn it upside-down and it will start over, marking the _New Year_?” Daniel asked, intrigued by the hourglass itself – and Seongwoo nodded as the response beside him. “Isn’t the point of hourglass is like, when the upper chamber is empty, it means your time is up?” Daniel knitted his eyebrow together.

“The point of hourglass is that you can reset it, it acts like a timer and you can always reuse it,” Seongwoo replied instead. “But they are like the same thing? It’s like a bad representation of time you know because you can’t turn back time.” Daniel shrugged. 

“You have a shit explanation of hourglass, Daniel, I’m just saying.” Seongwoo chuckled slightly.

“Am I wrong though? Turning back time will cause so much chaos though, so I am kind of glad we are where we are, even though there is no way we can go back to this day.” Daniel smiled slightly in return – it hit him that when this little trip ends, he doesn’t know about its continuation, will they still be friends? What are the chances that they are going to some city together again?

Let alone new city, will they be able to meet again?

It’s weird because he is familiar with bad ending, like his one-sided crush before and he has gotten used to it. The sand – even though it isn’t really sands inside - is going down right in front of him, is he running out of time too? And what is exactly he is running out of besides time? Daniel really hates himself for thinking everything over-dramatically that Jaehwan would’ve punched him in the face.

“If you are worried that we are not going to see each other after we go home, you know that it’s useless, right? We can still be friends. There is just no way we could not be friends honestly, you know too much, I might have to assassinate you or something,” Seongwoo joked.

“No, _you_ know too much, I might have to erase your memory or something.” Daniel laughed back.

“No, you won’t. Because that’s the only thing you will have that goes against times.” Seongwoo turned his head to Daniel and his lips turned upward slowly. “Memories are literally the one thing that you can turn back again, Daniel, like hourglass.” Seongwoo added.

“Like stories that you have already gotten their ending, so you can look them back.” Daniel continued unconsciously.

Also, Daniel is somewhat positive that Seongwoo could read minds at that point – that or he is _that_ transparent in general. “We are going to still be friends,” Seongwoo added for assurance.

“Even if it gets weird?” Daniel raised his eyebrow.

“We are already weird from the start, can we possibly get weirder than that?” Seongwoo laughed.

“What context of weird are you talking about though?” Seongwoo scrunched his nose.

“Like making out at some pub’s disgusting toilet kind of weird, or we suddenly had a threesome with a local kind of weird.” Daniel shrugged. “None of them are actually weird you know, it’s only weird if I suddenly catch a genital disease,” Seongwoo replied.

“None of them freak you out? Like really?” Daniel raised his eyebrow, both in confusion and amusement.

“Daniel, don’t talk like a prude.” Seongwoo smirked. “I know you have been swooning over one guy for two years but just don’t lie to me like this, like you didn’t have sex in those two years,” Seongwoo taunted.

“I actually did not.” Daniel shrugged again as he grinned cheekily. “Shut up,” Seongwoo dismissed the latter with a small laugh.

“I really did not!” Daniel defended himself, even though he was actually laughing with the latter. “Don’t talk anymore,” Seongwoo said as he placed his palm to shut Daniel’s mouth.

“Swear on it,” Daniel murmured afterward. “Swear on what? You being a virgin?” Seongwoo responded immediately with a slight smirk.

“No, swear on keep being friends,” Daniel encouraged – he really doesn’t want to stop seeing Seongwoo after whatever it is they are doing, because despite everything, Seongwoo is a great person and so easy to be with.

“Don’t you believe me when I first said it?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow. 

“Just say it again,” Daniel commented.

“I swear that I will keep up with your annoying ass for a very long time, Daniel, because I decided to barge into your life first.”

 

\---

 

It is kind of ridiculous – everything is, honestly. For starter, it’s called _For Sale Pub_ and it’s not even for sale. And the most interesting part is that it is literally covered with papers – advertisement papers, letters, drawings, notes, business cards, paintings, and pictures. Daniel has never seen anything quite like that before and Seongwoo just have to show him things once again, and discovering things with the older guy is fun. 

“They’ll give you free peanuts and you could just throw the shell to the floor,” Seongwoo said when they were seated near the window, and Daniel could literally see hundreds of handwritten notes pasted on the wall behind them – and a bunch of straws and peanut’s shell on the floor.

“Why?” Daniel knitted his eyebrow together. “Who knows? Maybe someone woke up one day and thought it’s a good idea to build a place where everyone could just puke their heart out in a form of, _this_.”

Daniel laughed wholeheartedly and Seongwoo’s reply wasn’t even funny. This has become a thing, Daniel would always laugh at Seongwoo’s lame jokes at first, but then he found everything the latter does is interesting – and it’s not like Daniel isn’t familiar with that kind of thing because he used to always laugh when his crush tried to be funny. _Whipped-culture_ , Jaehwan would say. But with Seongwoo, every laugh comes off too naturally and it honestly scares Daniel a bit.

Because genuineness is scarier than just trying to impress – because with sincerity comes feelings. Maybe meeting Seongwoo is not the inevitable thing, but liking Seongwoo is.

“But, I brought you here because of something else, actually.” And it picked Daniel’s upmost interest right away, when Seongwoo took out two papers and two pens from his bag.

“Write something meaningful.” Seongwoo pushed one piece of paper and a pen to Daniel’s direction. “I hope we will not end up hating each other by the time I see this paper again.” Daniel chuckled and he scribbled on the paper.

“I said something meaningful.” Seongwoo laughed too before he starts writing something on his paper. “That’s meaningful enough for me,” Daniel defended as he writes a couple things more.

 _Seongwoo hyung is with me today, I hope he is still with you too, future Daniel, or at least, you are still laughing at his stupid jokes_. Daniel covered it right away when Seongwoo tried to peek.

“ _Why can’t we be friends, when we are lovers? Cause it always ends with us hating each other_ ,” Seongwoo said all of the sudden, and when Daniel looked up from his notes, he found Seongwoo was reading one of the papers on the wall.

“Why is that?” Daniel tilted his head in curiosity and Seongwoo shrugged in return. “I don’t know, it sounds like a line from a poetry or lyric or something, honestly.”

“Yeah, but there have to be some meaning though, it’s an interesting line.” Daniel chuckled and proceeds to continue his writings – there’s not much to write, honestly, so he just write about their trip so far. “I know where to go next,” Daniel suddenly stated, the city’ name just crossed his mind out of the blue, and he feels like that it is going to be great. 

“And I’m on board, like always.” Seongwoo grinned as he pasted his paper on the wall. “You are finished?” Daniel raised both of his eyebrows. 

“I’m not slow like you,” Seongwoo sneered. “Oh, come on, hyung, we both know that I am the fast one and has way more energy than you do,” Daniel scoffed as he pasted his paper as well n the wall behind him. 

“I kiss better than you do.” Seongwoo actually does, Daniel has to agree with that, maybe because of experiences – Seongwoo’s kisses are amazing even though when Daniel initiated them first. “You can’t even argue with that.” Seongwoo smirked as he folded his hands in front of his chest.

“I don’t want to.” Daniel shrugged nonchalantly. “Because if I do, I might not get it anymore.”

“You don’t really have to impress me, you know, there’s no use to that too.” Seongwoo grinned playfully.

“You kiss better than I am,” Daniel confirmed. “You are not getting places with that, also you said that because you are a prude and have not kissed anyone in two years because of your puppy crush with some guy,” Seongwoo cut in mischievously.

“Ouch, that hurts, but I am not a prude, I thought we have gotten over that and also I’ve kissed multiple people, sober or drunk, honest to goodness and you are still the best among all,” Daniel replied instead.

“Okay, but you are honestly not bad too, Daniel.” Seongwoo smiled, and Daniel feels like screaming. 

“I’m working on my way to be on the top of your list though.” Daniel managed to say.

“Don’t worry, you are as close as it gets,”.

(In Budapest, Daniel learns that this is the story that he doesn’t want to know what the ending is like.)

 

 **Verona** **⎯**

Waking up in Daniel’s arm is probably one of the best feelings Seongwoo has ever experienced throughout the whole trip – they crashed some party in Budapest and ended up dead drunk that Seongwoo only noticed that they are tangled with each other on the same bed, which is Daniel’s bed. Seongwoo is also pretty sure that Daniel doesn’t even remember those because Seongwoo didn’t stay after realizing their bed situation.

It’s not because Seongwoo hates it, for sure – but there they are, in the city of love, booking another hotel room with two different beds, Seongwoo really doesn’t know how to break it to Daniel. _Hey dude, now that we are kissing each other sometimes, why don’t we share a bed too because I kind of like it?_ That is the best Seongwoo can get but he decided not to use that yet.

“It is supposed to be on this street, swear to goodness,” Daniel said in frustration when they are unable to locate the mansion – Romeo’s house, Daniel called earlier. And the sole reason why Daniel chose Verona is because it sounds like a fantastic idea to visit the Shakespeare’s tragedy takes place in – and Seongwoo literally agreed right away, because hearing the idea coming out from Daniel’s mouth did sound fantastic.

“It’s a private property, you know that right?” Seongwoo questioned as he tried to catch up with Daniel’s pace, but they have been walking for one straight hour and he was tired as fuck.

“I’m happy with just touching its gate.” Daniel laughed and Seongwoo snorted in disdain.

“Hey, could you like slow down, big guy?” Seongwoo sighed but it successfully made Daniel to stop walking.

And Seongwoo thought they would rest for a couple of minutes but he thought wrong, because Daniel grabbed his hand instead and intertwined their fingers together before the younger male pulled him slowly to his side. “Old.” Daniel smirked as he pushed Seongwoo to continue walking as if they are holding hands are the most regular thing ever.

“I am only a year older than you,” Seongwoo scoffed, not intending to let his hand go because it feels nice – being around Daniel is always nice and that’s how Seongwoo knows that he might have screwed up.

“You use that fact just whenever it is convenient for you, huh?” Daniel raised his eyebrow in amusement and Seongwoo shrugged as his response.

“Hey, since we are heading to Shakespeare’s most popular protagonist’s house, name his four great tragedies,” Seongwoo challenged all of the sudden. “Oh, what do I get if I can answer that correctly?” Daniel nudged Seongwoo’s arm playfully. “A lunch?” Seongwoo tried to negotiate.

“Can I decide what I want later on?” Daniel proposed instead. “Sure.” Seongwoo grinned.

“Uh, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, um.” Daniel paused momentarily and actually thinks about it for a while. “Well? We are here, this is it right?” Seongwoo suddenly stopped and pointed at the stone sigh pasted on the stone gate. _O, where is Romeo?_

“It is! I can’t believe we spent an hour finding this,” Daniel chimed in excitement when he immediately scanned the whole building.

“You still owe me one tragedy,” Seongwoo commented instead, his fingers are still tangled with Daniel’s. Instead of answering, Daniel kissed him out of the blue with a light peck before he smiled cheekily after pulling away.

“A Midsummer’s Night Dream,” Daniel said confidently. “It’s actually King Lear, you dumbass,” Seongwoo laughed as he poked Daniel’s forehead, which caused the latter to whine.

“I got three, that’s enough to get me a reward,” Daniel defended. “Duh, you just took it without any of my consent,” Seongwoo snorted playfully.

“It’s not like you hated it.” Daniel smiled smugly as he moved closer to the stone sign. “They really place Romeo’s quote out here.” Daniel said as he read the rest of the sign.

“Do you even like Romeo and Juliet?” Seongwoo asked out of the blue. “Who doesn’t like the classic tragic love story, hyung? Love conquers all kind of thing,” Daniel replied as he played with Seongwoo’s fingers.

“I just don’t understand.” Seongwoo shrugged nonchalantly. “You don’t just sacrifice yourself for love like that, Daniel. You don’t die for love,” Seongwoo continued afterward.

“Maybe when you find someone who worth all of the trouble then you will understand. I’m pretty sure Juliet thought the same before she met Romeo,” Daniel smiled gently. “And when you met your own Romeo, everything Juliet does will make sense,” Daniel added.

“That’s beautiful.” Seongwoo squeezed Daniel’s hand a bit. “I think that’s the moral lesson of this whole all dying thing.” Daniel said before he dragged Seongwoo to go examine the other front part of the building.

“You know, when I met him, you’ll be the first one to know.” Seongwoo doesn’t even know why he said that – he is pretty sure that Minhyun is going to kill him if he knew that his best-friend position has been snatched by some kid Seongwoo met not too long ago – but the reason why he wanted to smack himself for saying such nonsense is the way Daniel’s grin falters, the same miserable smile he used when he talked about his crush reappears at that exact second.

“That’s a very kind of you, hyung.”

 

\---

 

Seongwoo is almost positive that he is always addicted to the wrong thing – like smoking for instance, and trusting the wrong person and maybe, Kang Daniel. Weirdly he hasn’t smoked for once when he was with Daniel, that’s why it is almost never brought up in front of the younger, but that night Seongwoo actually smoked one and Daniel gave him a funny look when the younger found him on their room balcony.

“Well that’s new,” Daniel said, almost in amusement when he stood beside Seongwoo. “We have been together for legitimately five cities, how come you didn’t smoke one for so long? Are you holding back for me?” Daniel chuckled.

“You flatter yourself too much honestly, I need to give up on this so I’m trying not to really go anywhere near it,” Seongwoo snorted.

“That’s great to hear,” Daniel replied, as he reached out to the cigarette box and took one stick out. “If that is your first stick then don’t do it, kid.” Seongwoo sighed.

“Relax, it’s not, we all have those times.” Daniel laughed again before he took Seongwoo’s lighter. It was after that that they fell into a comfortable silence – and the sky looks surprisingly clear that they could actually see the stars.

“Why do you think it is often referred as the city of love?” Seongwoo asked. “Obviously not because Shakespeare places his star-crossed lovers here,” Daniel replied sarcastically.

“They didn’t end up good, Daniel.” Seongwoo retorted. “Are you still on your skeptical agenda about Romeo and Juliet?” Daniel countered with disbelief gasp.

“Love is a necessary tragedy, hyung, just because it doesn’t end up well, doesn’t mean that people stop believing that love does exist.”

“So you still believe in it?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow.

“Don’t you?” Daniel smiled back – and Daniel’s smile looks even prettier under the moon and Seongwoo needs to start gaining his focus back before he gets distracted even more.

“It’s debatable,” Seongwoo snorted instead.

“Everything is debatable, honestly, but love should be the least thing to doubt in.” Daniel inhaled. “Love is – you just do it and you don’t think because it never asks either, so when love comes, you should just go for it, you should just embrace being in love,” Daniel concluded.

“Why didn’t you go for it then?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow. “I did, I embrace being pathetically in love despite the fact that I didn’t have a chance, I never stood a chance.” Daniel smiled miserably, again – Seongwoo really doesn’t like any inch of it.

“But love doesn’t have to end happily, hyung, it just have to end _right_ , and I think mine did end right because one day, I am going to look back at one of those days and I will be grateful that it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to be.” The younger added, and in all honesty Seongwoo would have never thought about it like that – what is it about being with Daniel and everything he says are so fitting?

Seongwoo let it slide, because Daniel looks so satisfied after saying that, like he really just discover his own answer after so long either – and they talked a little bit more afterward before they decided to just go to bed. And sleeping alone sucks, Seongwoo should know what’s right after spending nights sharing bed with the wrong person – and Daniel is his kind of right.

So when he shifted his position to faced Daniel on the other bed, he just decided that he should do it – Daniel looks so peaceful and Seongwoo wants that. He carefully got out from his duvet and went over Daniel’s bed before tucking himself in – he is just curious about Daniel’s reaction at that point.

It took literally Daniel just a second to move his arm and hold Seongwoo, spooning him from behind because honestly Seongwoo is very much a coward to face him at the first place.

“I should have agreed when you proposed to rent a room with one bed in Porto,” Daniel murmured and Seongwoo could feel his breath all over his neck.

“You were aware that we were sleeping together in Budapest that night, were you?” Seongwoo asked instead.

“Yeah, kind of hard not to notice when you are snuggling someone inside your arm and I wasn’t even that drunk.” Daniel chuckled as he nuzzled closer and Seongwoo immediately knows he is going to have a nice sleep.

“You are impossible.”

 

\---

 

The road to Juliet’s house is way easier, mostly because it is an actual tourist attraction – and Seongwoo thank all the goodness that he doesn’t have to keep up with Daniel’s ridiculous speed walking to get to the actual mansion. Unlike the Romeo’s house, Juliet’s house is way more crowded and way friendlier looking. Seongwoo concludes that morning that waking up next to Daniel is still the best feeling ever and he hasn’t felt anything like that – like he genuinely wants to embrace the rest of the day. 

So he likes Daniel, like _a lot_ , he figures that out – and it scared the hell out of him. Is this just him being so fucking lonely and confused at the same time, and that his minds is playing tricks on him? What is actually happening between him and Daniel because last time he checked, the whole trip is supposed to be friendly, and casual, whatever that means.

He doesn’t plan about waking up next to him and loves every moment of it, he doesn’t expect that he will be willingly giving himself to Daniel that the younger now have the permission to kiss him anytime and anywhere. It is so ridiculous that even Seongwoo couldn’t get a grasp of it. The last time he had this kind of feelings, it end up bad, like really bad that Seongwoo almost doesn’t believe in having feelings ever again.

And nothing makes sense with Daniel, but everything feels so fucking right.

So this happened and by this, Seongwoo means Daniel is holding his hand while going around admiring Juliet’s house – and Daniel is looking so happy, and Seongwoo is happy and never been happier than that. 

“There is no way we could get to the balcony,” Daniel muttered when he saw the size of the crowd queuing to reenact the famous scene. “I am not aware that you want to do that though. I am just saying that you are all alone if you want to do that.” Seongwoo snorted and Daniel laughed in return. “I figure that much honestly, hyung, let’s just write some letter then.”

Daniel has been talking about it since breakfast and Seongwoo can’t deny that the idea of sending Juliet a letter doesn’t sound half-bad at all, like it honestly intrigued Seongwoo about what kind of reply he would get, but maybe he should be worry about what kind of things he would write.

Daniel suggests something like relationship advices or something about love, because it’s _Juliet_ – because Juliet is definitely a reliable source.

“Just write about something you love, honestly, like, something you put your interest in,” Daniel added when he handed Seongwoo a piece of vintage-looking paper that Seongwoo doesn’t really know where Daniel get those from, after they looked around for the quieter place to write.

“Like my job?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow.

“You could do better than that, hyung,” Daniel scoffed.

“Like what?” Seongwoo groaned as he shifted his attention back to his paper.

 _Kang Daniel, you are so freaking weird, of course I will still be your friend! I genuinely like it being with you, so thank you for following my stupid idea and doesn’t regret it_.

He wrote that at Budapest. It was a short, crappy message and he was even telling Daniel to write something meaningful when all he did was pasting shit to the wall – he really should’ve given more effort to that, and that’s why he really wants to try this time to redeem himself, somehow.

 _Dear, Juliet_. Seongwoo cringes a bit, because he is writing to a fictional character – he doesn’t even know the person who will eventually read the letter and write him back. _My name is Ong Seongwoo, and I just got out from a bad relationship._ He didn’t understand why he said that right away _._

Seongwoo paused, like all of the sudden he had this epiphany where all the inspirations came out of the blue – he knows what to write, or better, he knows what to write to Daniel and it sounds like an amazing idea.

He should just tell Juliet things he wants to tell Daniel and Juliet could respond to it, _perfect_. “Ha, you actually look very excited,” Daniel commented when Seongwoo is busy pouring his heart out – it suddenly become so easy when Seongwoo knows who he is writing about. _But then I met someone_.

 _I didn’t know him well at first, but that’s the point, and I’m still here, I still want to figure him out and I still want him to figure me out_.

 _Juliet, I like him, in the way that it make me forget that I shouldn’t like anyone because it’s the worst feeling ever when you found out that you weren’t meant to be together with someone_.

Seongwoo looked up and found Daniel was staring at him with his toothy grin and smile so more when Seongwoo tilted his head. “You can’t be done, right?” Seongwoo questioned. “Nope, you are just so distracting when you are all serious and stuffs.” Daniel chuckled and went back to his paper. 

 _Goodness, Juliet, I don’t ever want to feel like that towards Daniel. I don’t want to write to you the next time and all I have to write is, that it didn’t work out either, we also weren’t meant to be together._  

Seongwoo furrowed his eyebrows, silently folding his letter and praying that Juliet will at least give him a decent reply. When Daniel reached out his hands for Seongwoo, he took it gladly and gave the younger a little squeeze. “Hey, Daniel.” Seongwoo pressed their lips together just when Daniel turned his head around as the response to the call.

“What was that for?” Daniel quirked his eyebrow and gave the latter an amused grin. “Oh, we are giving reasons to kiss now?” Seongwoo laughed when Daniel kissed him again – his cheek, the tip of his nose, and his lips at the end.

“It was because you looked like you need one,” Seongwoo added nonetheless and Daniel shrugged before pulling Seongwoo closer to him.

“As the matter of fact, yes, I do need it, as much as you can give me,”.

(In Verona, Seongwoo learns that he doesn’t want to hurt again, but on the top of that, he doesn’t want to hurt Daniel.)

 

 **Paris** **⎯**

Daniel could barely remember anything at that point, especially how the hell did they both get into their position right then. It is a very pretty night, and their room is too nice to be true either – their view is exactly the tower of Eiffel, which is fucking amazing. But what’s better than that is the fact that both of Seongwoo’s arms are circled around Daniel’s neck to support himself, his body is pressed against the wall and they were making out like there is no tomorrow.

Daniel lost his mind completely when a moan escaped Seongwoo’s pretty lips – it sounds like something that Daniel could definitely get obsessed with. He moved slowly to Seongwoo’s neckline, and the way Seongwoo tilted his head to expose more of his skin drives Daniel to the edges. 

“Are you sure you want to do this with me?” Daniel asked away out of the blue unconsciously – Seongwoo stopped responding afterward, before he turned to look at Daniel in disbelief.

“Congratulations, you just killed the whole mood,” Seongwoo snorted nonchalantly as he unwrapped his arms and stood up on his own. “No, no – no, fuck.” Daniel protested when Seongwoo leaned to the wall all by himself.

“We are both like half hard and you just decided to throw an absolute prude line,” Seongwoo sneered – Daniel is going to kill himself like how he killed his chance to get laid, and his dick kind of hurts like it is begging for attention.

But Seongwoo is grinning like it is too ridiculous to be true, and it is, which makes it going to haunt Daniel for the rest of his life most probably. “I am not a prude for the nth times, I dicked someone before,” Daniel protested and regretted it afterward – his sentence is so fucking weird.

“Yeah right, big guy. I’m going to use the bathroom, if it isn’t obvious what I am going to do.” Seongwoo smirked before he pushed Daniel away a bit to make his own way to the toilet – and that’s how Daniel fucked up in Paris.

He shouldn’t even asked, but in all honesty he will feel bad if he didn’t, because it’s Seongwoo – and Daniel likes him, so fucking much, it’s even hard to explain.

And saying it makes it worse, because it gives Daniel the damned butterflies, and every other thing that draw Daniel to the verge of insanity. It’s exactly chasing after someone all over again, but the difference is that Seongwoo is here with Daniel and all of him is his for a little while. Daniel knows what playing with fire feels like, but this straight up messing around with catastrophe.

Because it is suddenly so easy to forget that both him and Seongwoo are inside the phase where they are trying to move on – to mend what was bent – but Daniel is happy and he thinks he deserves that even just for a bit, because Seongwoo makes everything easy, and Daniel has always wanted that.

“Hey.” Daniel doesn’t even know how long he has been spacing out that even he forgets that he is half hard, with Seongwoo just a couple meters away from him only in his glorious bathrobe, crawling to the space next to Daniel on the bed. “You okay?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow when he found a comfortable position to rest on the headboard.

“My dick just kind of died down by itself, I don’t know, I’m okay I guess.” Daniel shrugged, awkwardly.

“Sorry, kid. Maybe next time, and don’t say things like that again.” Seongwoo smirked as he let out a deep breath. “Why did you ask anyway? I’m pretty sure it was kind of obvious,” Seongwoo asked afterward.

“For the sake of confirmation, I guess. I’m old school like that.” Daniel let out a light chuckle.

“Nah, I think you just want to know about mutuality,” Seongwoo stated as he rest his head on the headboard and close his eyes while smiling – and looks absolutely endearing that Daniel couldn’t help but stare.

“I’m giving you consent by the way, from now on you are free to do whatever.” Seongwoo nudged Daniel’s arm slightly and the younger suddenly burst into laughter.

“What so funny now?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow in amusement.

“Because I feel like you don’t know what you are getting yourself into,” Daniel said when he is finished.

“You are so conceited,” Seongwoo scoffed.

“No, I mean because I’m taking you out again. We shouldn’t be wasting a night in Paris because of just a little rain,” Daniel suggested as he pointed at the window. 

“I just bathed!” Seongwoo protested.

“Hey, you said whatever.” Daniel shrugged nonchalantly and the horror on Seongwoo’s face is really funny because the older does act like a little downpour can kill them or something.

“ _Whatever_ means you would dance with me under the rain in a full suit if I wanted you to. See, this is why you don’t know what you are talking about.” It is a smartass move and Daniel enjoys looking at how annoyed Seongwoo is as the latter did a silent groan.

“You are taking an advantage of the situation, I don’t mean it that way.” Seongwoo frowned and it is damn adorable, Daniel wants to pinch his cheek – so he did and Seongwoo let out a small whimper.

“Come on, old man. You act like an elder goodness,” Daniel said as he stood up from the bed – hard dick long forgotten because the idea of spending midnight at Paris’s street with Seongwoo suddenly sounds so fun and it sounds so fucking ridiculous but Daniel likes it so much.

They got a cake at the nearest café afterward, in the middle of the small rain and all Daniel remembers is that they laughed a lot – Seongwoo keep teasing him how eating some sweets in the middle of the night is better than sex – it feels like they are in the middle of a movie and Paris is their setting.

Daniel learns a couple of things when he saw Seongwoo looking straight back to him and his smile melts Daniel little by little.

“I am less mad at you now because Paris is extra pretty at midnight,” Seongwoo said and Daniel raised his eyebrow at the latter.

“Yeah? It’s prettier from here though, you should see it from where I am sitting.” The way Seongwoo’s face reddening so fast gave warms Daniel’s whole chest – it is certainly a good night.

“Anyway, say it again.” Seongwoo smirked as he took a bite of the cake he ordered. “Ver- _saylls_ ,” Daniel raised his eyebrow innocently. “It’s Ver- _sye,_ ” Seongwoo teased and Daniel scoffed. “Okay, whatever you smart ass,” Daniel taunted back while Seongwoo is laughing at him. 

That not everything in life is meant to be beautiful – sometimes it teaches someone how to love and how not to love. Daniel learns that his past love story teaches him how love shouldn’t be, how love should come effortlessly. And that some people weren’t meant to be around forever but someone is definitely out there, enough to be Daniel’s home.

Under the midnight summer sky of Paris, Daniel wishes that Seongwoo would be that person.

 

\---

 

Daniel slips into the tub that was filled with warm water that he has prepared since earlier – the rain just got harder and thank goodness they both have gotten back to their room. It feels so nice to be inside the tub as he leaned his body to the back and relax as he let the water washed away his fatigue after strolling Paris the whole day with Seongwoo. It’s not like spending time with Seongwoo is bad, but Daniel needs some time for himself to think clearly about what is actually happening.

Paris is the seventh city already since he and Seongwoo came from stranger to something that Daniel doesn’t quite know what is. Daniel hopes about a lot of things, at least enough for him to know that half of them are probably empty. But Daniel would beg to goodness that Seongwoo wouldn’t be that kind of half – wouldn’t be the kind of thing that will break Daniel whenever Daniel accidentally remembers his name.

Even if Seongwoo somebody else’s home, Daniel would want to remember him and Seongwoo just like that – like two people being helplessly stuck with each other and neither of them want to walk away because they like it, because it feels nice and content and like they both could do anything together, like for just a brief moment it’s Daniel and Seongwoo against the world.

“What are you thinking?” Daniel was startled, until he realized Seongwoo was leaning on the sink counter, looking at him with an amused grin. “You were legitimately looking at the wall for like ten minutes, you did that earlier too until your dick died. I am genuinely worried, Daniel.” Seongwoo commented nonchalantly, completely ignoring the fact that he is in the same room as naked-Daniel. 

“More like, what are you doing?” Daniel replied hastily as he tried to somehow cover himself with his bare hands.

“I’m concerned, Daniel.” Seongwoo repeated with his infamous mischievous tone.

“About what exactly?” Daniel raised his eyebrow.

Instead of answering, Seongwoo moved closer to the tub and Daniel panicked for a second before he realized that Seongwoo actually never left his eyes. “I can join you so you can tell _hyung_ what has been bothering your mind,” Seongwoo said as he seated himself on the corner of the tub, which made Daniel fell into a brief silence afterward.

“You are still pushing the agenda to have sex with me just to prove I am a prude, are you not?” Daniel smirked in amusement.

“You have nothing to prove honestly at this rate.” Seongwoo shrugged and Daniel splashed a bit of the water to him.

“Come to the water since you are wet now.” Daniel said as he motioned his hand for the latter to join him, and he is just throwing everything out of the window – Seongwoo wants it and Daniel definitely wants it, and Daniel swore he isn’t going to do or say something dumb anymore.

“That’s it, that’s the perfect line, Daniel. Good job, I’m proud with this kind of improvement.” Seongwoo chuckled as he clapped his hand – and Daniel could only stare at him out of ridiculousness, until Seongwoo stood up from the tub and the younger actually started to panic.

“Hyung, what are you doing?” Daniel managed not to stutter at least. “I’m going back to watch the movie on the television?” Seongwoo replied rather mischievously, it was so obvious that he was playing around. 

“Are you being serious right now? I just asked you to come join me. Ha, now you are saying the prude line.” Daniel actually scoffed but he lost his focus as soon as Seongwoo stripped off the remaining clothes he has on him and moved closer to the tub, his skin is showing a lot and Daniel doesn’t know how to deal with the feelings.

“Why do you look so scared?” Seongwoo actually laughed at him when he put his feet inside the water, nudging Daniel’s thigh slowly, while Daniel is busy draining the water, so it won’t leak when Seongwoo get inside.

“I am not, just get in here, this is seriously the worst before-sex talk I have ever had,” Daniel taunted and Seongwoo actually let out a mocking laugh. 

“This can’t be the worst if this is your first time, Daniel.” Seongwoo purposely placed his foot dangerously close to Daniel’s crotch and the suspense almost killed Daniel. 

“ _Seongwoo_ ,” Daniel hissed when Seongwoo _accidentally_ touched his dick with his toes, and Daniel is pretty sure he has lost his goddamn brain right there right then – it’s been a while in all honesty.

Because Daniel hasn’t been getting off if he didn’t think of the older male, but he feels so bad whenever he did it – and the fact that Seongwoo is teasing him when they are both naked is pushing every of Daniel’s buttons. “I thought we agreed that we are keeping the _hyung_.” Seongwoo smirked, before he took an excruciatingly slow motion to get into the bathtub with Daniel.

And Seongwoo kissed him first, and it feels so good like out-of-the-world good, and Daniel is pretty sure he won’t ever meet someone who tastes so desirable that Daniel would choose Seongwoo over and over again. They made out slow and easy and Seongwoo would grind his hips down and caused them to moan in between the kisses.

Everything with Seongwoo comes so naturally Daniel already knows that, that Daniel immediately knows how to act, how to hold the older male, and how to spread that perfect butt cheek of the older male and caused Seongwoo to moan louder than before – right beside Daniel’s ear and it sounds breathtaking.

“Hyung is going to do it for you, _hm_?” Seongwoo whispered when he reached his hands out to stretch himself and Daniel has absolutely no brain cell left when he watched the things happening in front of him. Seongwoo looks really good usually, but he looks especially great when he is fingering himself for Daniel – and Daniel wastes no time as he stroke his cock with the view.

Their eyes never leave each other, as Seongwoo moaned each time and his whole face looks flushed, Daniel couldn’t wait to be inside him. And when Seongwoo slides in, it was so slow and careful, and he had his face buried on Daniel’s shoulder blade, as his fingers dig into Daniel’s arms.

Seongwoo is incredibly tight, and Daniel has to use all his power not to just thrust in, so he just sits, letting Seongwoo to do all the work as he gripped into the edge of the tub. And when Seongwoo is fully in, Daniel has to take a look at Seongwoo and the older male is slightly struggling at catching his breath, so he stroke Seongwoo’s back gently.

“Tell me when you are ready to move,” Daniel whispered on Seongwoo’s hair, and the older nodded in return. “I have – _ah_ , underestimated your dick,” Seongwoo snorted instead, he let out a breathless chuckle – and it sounds so arousing and adorable at the same time so Daniel kissed him, again and again until Seongwoo slowly started to move, like he is trying to find the perfect position.

And it feels so fucking great that Daniel swears he has never feels better than that, having Seongwoo gently moving up and down, and Daniel’s hands on his waist, helping him to find the pace. And when they did, Seongwoo placed his hands on Daniel’s shoulder for support to fuck himself as Daniel thrust his hips upward and had Seongwoo to moan his name.

It was so amazing, and it gets even better when Daniel found Seongwoo’s spot and had Seongwoo throwing back his head in pleasure. “Goodness, Daniel, _there_.” Seongwoo hissed in between and Daniel just have to appreciate the view – Seongwoo being completely fucked by him is so fucking beautiful and Daniel is pretty sure that Seongwoo put Eiffel Tower to shame.

Daniel makes sure that he had Seongwoo’s dick on his hand when Seongwoo cums, and Seongwoo let out a choked cry as Daniel cummed inside him – and it felt ridiculously great, that Daniel’s groan echoed throughout the bathroom wall.

Seongwoo collapsed on the top of him, and Daniel is pretty sure that there are some puddles around the floor because of the overflowing water, but he gives no fuck at all – he wrapped his arms around Seongwoo’s figure after Seongwoo lifted off his dick, before he heard Seongwoo let out a shaky laugh. “So we settled that you are no longer a prude,” He said afterward.

“I wasn’t even one to start with.” Daniel grinned when Seongwoo looked up, his face are flushed, and he looks so nice that Daniel decided he could spend every night exactly like that. “Okay.” Seongwoo smiled as he lifted up his head a bit to see the window just behind Daniel.

“Why don’t you look at that, we just fuck for the first time with such a beautiful scenery, what a _goal_.” Seongwoo laughed when he admired the tower.

“Next time, let’s do it somewhere not wet and has bigger space though,” Daniel proposed and Seongwoo nodded in agreement. “Since you are not bad, there will be next time,” Seongwoo added and got Daniel grinning.

“Scratch that though, I never thought you are bad honestly.”

 

\---

 

Paris, in short, is a charming city and a memorable pretty little thing because one can just not forget Paris. “Ernest Hemingway said that –.” “Paris is a movable feast,” Seongwoo cut the sentence with a smirk.

“That, Hemingway said _that_.” Daniel smiled in response. “He’s not wrong, every inch of Paris is constructed and fashioned in the most splendid way possible by history and arts, and they will leave marks all over your mind that it is not possible to forget such a beautiful city exists,” Seongwoo elaborated. 

“You talk like a true citizen of Paris, hyung.” Daniel chuckled as he linked their arms together.

“Where are we?” Daniel asked as he glanced around when they finally out from the station.

“Belleville,” Seongwoo replied with a hint of amused smile. “Sounds fun,” Daniel replied after done analyzing his surrounding. 

They were only took a couple of steps where right off a little side alley, Daniel found himself staring in complete awe again when right in front of him was an open air gallery and building walls full of graffiti. It was only a small runway, which Daniel expected to be filled with abandoned shops, but the vibrant paintings are the things that made the simple road so astonishing.

“ _Rue Dénoyez_ ,” Seongwoo said out of blue, and Daniel gave him a look as if saying that he didn’t quite get what the older was saying.

“This is the street art alley, it’s famous within the locals,” Seongwoo added which he nodded. “I don’t know you know how to _French_ , or maybe you are not but that sounded legit,” Daniel replied instead. “Well, maybe you are since you do the other kind of French really well.” Daniel added with a playful grin.

“You learn more things about me eventually.” Seongwoo smirked as he bumped his arms on Daniel’s. 

The street was fun and full with liveliness – Daniel thought it would be great to live in Belleville, a neighborhood that manages to offer so much glee and carefreeness. Seongwoo told him that around two hundreds artists live there, which Daniel is not surprised.

They ended up watching a violin performance by a street artist, and Daniel couldn’t help but pull Seongwoo to another ridiculous dance, which Seongwoo replied with a series of protests, but complied nonetheless.

They had a brunch on a little café on the block before they decided to call it a day, since the sun is going down already.

“Can we go to Louvre sometimes though?” Daniel asked out of the blue when they were entering the train station, again. “We can go there now if you want to,” Seongwoo replied nonchalantly.

“I said sometimes!” Daniel breaks another laugh. “We are not going to stay in Paris forever, mind that,” Seongwoo responded.

“We could if we want to.” Daniel deadpanned and shrugged afterward, but Seongwoo laughed instead.

“Do you know why Hemingway said that? Paris is a moveable feast?” Seongwoo asked. “I think he meant that Paris stays with you wherever you go,” Daniel replied with a small grin, and then he kissed Seongwoo because the latter look too damn cute.

“Right, I think it means that if you done Paris right, then it will follows you like a ghost of a ravishing memory, you don’t have to stay in Paris forever, you just have to make sure that your time of stay worth to keep forever,” Seongwoo explained. “I already think it is,” Daniel replied almost immediately, in which Seongwoo replied with another smile.

“Yeah, I think it is worth a keep too,”.

(In Paris, Daniel learns that he would really love it if Seongwoo and him could just freeze the moment and learn how to stay.)

 

 **Singapore** **⎯**

Kim Jaehwan would like to question about his choices in life when he become friends with a certain Kang Daniel and he is pretty sure that the latter thinks approximately about the same thing like he does – it’s the basic thing to do to know that you are actually best friend with someone, Jaehwan calls dibs on that theory. But he knows that he is really that curious when he decided to really book a plane ticket to South East.

“ _I’m going to Singapore in three days_ ,” Daniel said and he was awfully excited when he told Jaehwan that on the phone. “Where are you now?” Jaehwan remembers asking him that, hoping some insight about what Daniel has actually been doing with the somewhat mysterious man called Ong Seongwoo. When Jaehwan told Daniel to go and visit places, this is probably not what he has in mind.

“ _Paris._ ” Jaehwan also remembers that he almost choked on his own spit. “ _Do you want to meet him?_ ” Does Jaehwan want to meet someone who has his best friend’s good side and makes his best friend sounds genuinely happy? Hell yes and that’s exactly why Jaehwan is standing in the middle of Changi Airport and looking like a lost kid because he was trying to spot a certain person.

And when he finally found Daniel, his friend is there with someone who looks so good, he almost look like he is out of Daniel’s league. “Hi, you must be Jaehwan! Ah, we have talked on the phone before, it’s nice to meet you.” Ong Seongwoo really sounds and looks like a nice person, and Jaehwan couldn’t help but like him, ever since the phone talk.

“It’s nice to finally see you in person too and real and I could finally sleep peacefully knowing Daniel doesn’t make you up on his mind.” Jaehwan commented, earning a glare from Daniel afterward, but Seongwoo chuckled lightly – goodness, he does seem too good to be true for Daniel.

“I’m very real, Jaehwan-ssi, I thought Daniel is the one making you up honestly, I thought he was friendless when I first met him.” Seongwoo grinned and Jaehwan laughed and it feels like they are friends for a long time already. Jaehwan starting to gets it why Daniel likes him – anyone actually would at this point because he seems so nice.

“So, shall we go then?” Jaehwan suggested as he dragged his suitcase a tad closer with him, signaling that he is ready but Daniel looked at Seongwoo instead – as if he was looking for confirmation. “Actually we are waiting for one more person.” Seongwoo bit his lips, like he is guilty for not telling Jaehwan earlier, but Jaehwan is honestly okay with it so he just shrugged and nodded his head.

“I’m pretty sure he has the same flight as yours though, oh – Hwang Minhyun!” Seongwoo suddenly shot his hands upward and waved to the crowd before he went to the latter’s direction, and when Jaehwan turned his head around, he didn’t know who the person is, but this Hwang Minhyun sure looks like he is in the same league as Seongwoo and that’s understandable. 

“He has _that_ guy as a friend but he chose to travel the world with you instead? Can’t relate.” Jaehwan sneered when he took Daniel’s side and watched the other two males greeting each other from afar. “Wow, that’s a very nice greeting after not seeing me almost all summer,” Daniel scoffed. “I still can’t believe it, you actually managed to score a person this time.” Jaehwan said nonchalantly.

“He’s great, right?” It kind of bothered Jaehwan a little bit because Daniel asked in hesitation, and knowing Daniel, he would push Jaehwan off the cliff without any hesitation – but then he used it for asking a simple question for the sake of acceptance when Daniel didn’t really need it from the first place. Jaehwan blames the past.

“You can go out with anyone you want, Daniel.” Jaehwan answered instead, hoping it would somewhat assures the latter – it did not.

“It’s not that.” Daniel sighed and Jaehwan immediately knows what it is about. 

“He’s good, I guess, I can see that he genuinely wants to be with you, I mean he traveled cities with you for goodness’s sake.” Jaehwan joked at the end. 

“Whose-name-shall-not-be-spoken would never even think about it.”

 

\---

 

Hwang Minhyun is that sure that he needs to go to Singapore, solely because Kang Daniel would be there, and Minhyun would die to see someone who brings out the heart that Seongwoo has left ever since the stupid break up. It was ugly and Minhyun knows because he was there the whole time – he has seen enough of everything, enough stressed midnights, enough angry calls, and enough broken promises.

Minhyun always calls it toxic and Seongwoo didn’t believe it at first but no one could conceal the fact forever – and it was terrible when Minhyun has to witness him slowly and surely breaking apart to protect what was not worth it from the first place. Minhyun is also probably the person with the most consolation when Seongwoo broke up, just because he doesn’t want his best friend to suffer anymore.

Seongwoo deserves to be happy and Kang Daniel seems to be doing a pretty good job. When Minhyun heard about how Seongwoo let someone to tag along on his trip, it was so fucking uncanny – Seongwoo is not the type of the person who just go out with anyone, he isn’t even that friendly to begin with – he is surely nice, but to go around the world with someone he just knew for a couple of hours? That is just not real.

“I have an international driving license, don’t worry.” Seongwoo chuckled from the driver’s seat when the man – his name is Kim Jaehwan, Daniel’s best friend, Minhyun learns – asked him about it and Daniel laughed along with him. The trip suddenly feels a lot like him and this Jaehwan guy third wheeling a honeymoon – and Minhyun is pretty sure that Jaehwan feels the same.

They get along rather decently mostly because they both are in the same best friend position, and also Jaehwan seems like a great person. It is important to not hate Jaehwan because Minhyun is pretty sure that he will be the one Minhyun is sharing the room with, so when he saw Seongwoo stuffs on the room, he is questioning the whole situation.

“We thought this would be the best arrangement. Wouldn’t it be awkward if you share a room with Jaehwan immediately? Plus, I know that you would go rampant on me.” Seongwoo shrugged it off. “I actually won’t, Jaehwan-ssi seems like a pretty nice person,” Minhyun replied and Seongwoo let out a slight scoff.

“Yes, but you would want to take out a piece of paper containing your speech about how I, uh, I do, something, not quite right?” Seongwoo paused a bit.

“I wouldn’t, I swear on it, Seongwoo, this one feels, at least looks different and you know it too, you even find it hard to say that it’s wrong hypothetically.” Minhyun shrugged as he plopped down to his bed.

“You look happy, Seongwoo, the best you have been since _that_ ,” Minhyun added. “And Daniel was a stranger when he did that, it was something, right?”

Minhyun takes Seongwoo’s silence as a _yes_ nonetheless. “Does he still call you?” Seongwoo suddenly asked out of nowhere. “Does it matter?” Minhyun replied instead, eyebrows knitted with each other. “I could file a report to the police,” Seongwoo said with a slight laugh – it was almost bitter, Minhyun knows. “You don’t need to go that extent, Seongwoo. Worse that it will show that you still give a fuck.”

Minhyun has a point for most part and Seongwoo has to admit that at least. “I don’t, also I blocked his number recently,” Seongwoo replied with a sigh, as he seated himself on his bed, giving Minhyun his back – Minhyun thought it should be done since they broke up, but at least Seongwoo has done it.

“Be honest to me though.” Minhyun let out a deeper sigh. “Do you still wish things went differently? Even after Daniel?” Minhyun asked away and Seongwoo took times to answer.

“I don’t know what am I with Daniel, Minhyun,” Seongwoo confessed with a heavy tone, like actually saying it in person tasted like poison on his tongue.

“It’s hard to determine something that you haven’t figured out yet. But I do know that I don’t want to be back to the situation I was in, even if _he_ begs for it. But will I do that if it’s Daniel? I most probably will, and it’s so fucking scary, Minhyun.”

“Because Daniel makes it so easy, like I genuinely want him be okay and he’s making it _so_ uncomplicated for me to do that.” Seongwoo paused. “But I don’t know what are we, yet.” Seongwoo’s shoulder plopped down when he said that – it was so sad to watch. “So, I guess we are travel buddies? Or another summer fling? Friends?” Minhyun choked on his own spit at Seongwoo’s last statement.

“Sure, Seongwoo, friends kiss and fuck each other and travel world’s most beautiful countries together, friends do that, of course, should we start doing that too? You know, because apparently we are _friends_ ,” Minhyun scoffed so hard before extending his hands to hug Seongwoo that actually made Seongwoo to gasp.

“You are a dead bitch to me, Minhyun,” Seongwoo taunted.

“Then Daniel should be a dead bitch too,” Minhyun pointed out. “But he is not, and you want to keep him, end of the story,” Minhyun added.

“It’s not the end of the story, Minhyun, not everyone I want to keep wants to stay, or wants me to keep them the way I want to keep them. Didn’t you see from what happened before? It was so fucked up that you could even see it with a blind eye how fucked up it was,” Seongwoo angered.

“You, out of all people, know that I am so fucking scared to do something about this situation, because you witness how I was not okay before. That’s why I expect you to fucking pull out a piece of paper to tell me something like, _please stop doing reckless shits and think for once, Seongwoo_ ,” Seongwoo ranted.

“Is this what is it about? You waiting for me to tell you how bad it is?” Minhyun raised his eyebrow. “Because it’s not, Seongwoo. The reason why I called you and your last relationship out because it’s crystal clear for anyone who is watching that you are so out of yourself and you had too many hard times.”

“You called me at one in the morning to ask about _his_ whereabouts, complaining about this and that but when we met, you look so fucking happy, agreeing on literally anything _he_ does for the sake that he, his overprotective ass and his wholesome asshole-ness are coming home to you at the end of the day.” Minhyun then realized it was all in the past but the memories still boil his blood.

“You didn’t call me that often though this summer, I almost missed you.” Minhyun continued with a slight chuckle instead. “But when you did call, you almost never miss to mention Daniel and his antics and then you laughed at them and it almost annoys me because I know about Daniel more than I know about your wellbeing. That’s when I just know that it’s far from bad, you are actually having a good time,”

“So whatever you have and what you are with Daniel, I just hope that it will gradually remains and makes you happy for a long time.”

 

\---

 

Jaehwan makes some conclusions after hours staying with Daniel, Seongwoo and Minhyun. First is that Daniel and Seongwoo are openly so into each other – they tried to not show it too much, but it just there and the way Daniel stares at Seongwoo is borderline disgusting – and telling from Minhyun’s face, he shares the same opinion with Jaehwan about Seongwoo.

Second is that Daniel is not even a tad smarter about his love life issues than when he left weeks ago. “For the nth time, Daniel, goodness, you don’t go around the world with someone you don’t like! And great, now I know that you had sex already, I don’t know how to unheard that.” Jaehwan sighed – he gets it that Daniel has some shit one-sided love issue before, but Seongwoo is not _that_ , Seongwoo is more than that, even Jaehwan could tell.

“But what if he is just confused? What if I am just confused?” Jaehwan can’t believe that he has to go far away from Seoul to Singapore, only to hear Daniel’s nonsense all over again in the middle of Redhill food center while trying to enjoy his fried carrot cake.

“What are you even confused about? You guys like each other, you guys enjoy the fuck, you guys likes being around each other. Any elementary school student can even understand that,” Jaehwan deadpanned. “Also, if you called me here just to rant about this, then I’m out. I want to get to know your lover boy and his good-looking friend and enjoy the country, I have had enough hearing your insecurities, Daniel.”

“That’s rude,” Daniel gasped in disbelief.

“Yeah, like you didn’t change yourself just to impress a senior who never bat an eyelash on you until he needs help or someone to boost his ego while trying to bullshit his way about saving the environment, honestly, he is just a wholesome dick, I don’t see why you still think highly of him,” Jaehwan ranted with a mouth stuffed with the food.

“That is just plain mean, Jaehwan,” Daniel huffed. “Yeah, but am I wrong though?” Jaehwan snapped.

“Two years is a long period of time, Daniel, and you can count the times he genuinely wants to give a fuck about you with your fingers,” Jaehwan continued. “I know, I speak badly a lot about him but that’s because you need to realize that he doesn’t deserve you. You need someone that will give a damn about you for just being, _you,_ and not because you are trying so hard to be someone else. 

“While you and Seongwoo, I don’t know, watching you both feels so easy, like I can tell that you just clicked with him even though you both are different.” Jaehwan pointed out, and it honestly amused Daniel, how even Jaehwan could tell.

“Look, I know that you told me that Seongwoo has some problems with his relationship before. But guess what? Love sucks, Daniel, everyone knows that, you know that. But then you found him and he found you too and you both manage to see something pretty in the middle of both of your mess. Why do you need more reason?” Jaehwan ranted.

“You are disgustingly have some nice words,” Daniel remarked.

“Of course I am,” Jaehwan mused.

“This is the person you want to brag about, Daniel, when you come home, this is the person you want to talk about every single day, because he gives a fuck about it, and because he genuinely cares,” Jaehwan concluded.

“How are you so sure that we are still going to be like this when we go home though? What if all of this just exist right here right now and nowhere else?” Daniel asked the question that he sincerely wants the answer, because he knows it he doesn’t want to know what’s the ending is going to be like.

“Because I can just tell, Daniel, also, Ernest Hemingway said from the book you forced me to read, never to go on trips with anyone you do not love. You do the rest of the math.”

 

\---

 

When Minhyun came out from his room after being left alone, he found Jaehwan on the hallway, walking towards the front of his room. “Oh hi,” Jaehwan greeted first with a small smile – they had known each other better, after all four of them literally spent the whole day before together exploring Marina Bay Sands.

“Hi, where are you going?” Minhyun replied with a mirroring smile, it was not awkward anymore, he thinks. “Just out, I guess, Daniel is out, so –,” Jaehwan paused.

“Seongwoo is out too,” Minhyun quickly responded and Jaehwan gave a knowing scoff. “Am I even surprised at this point? Sure, Daniel can just ditch me with his new found friend as if I didn’t keep up with his ass longer.” Jaehwan laughed kind of loudly. “Same, but it’s pretty clear that they aren’t just friends.” Minhyun shrugged.

“Want to go on a walk together?” Minhyun suggested afterward and Jaehwan agreed with the idea almost soon after Minhyun asked.

“I’m not really salty by the way, honestly I am glad that Daniel found someone like Seongwoo, so far, I can conclude that he is a nice person,” Jaehwan started the conversation when they got on the elevator.

“He is, and Daniel seems like a great person too,” Minhyun added.

“Daniel is a great person, uh, he actually went through some bullshits on his love life before, so, it’s nice to see him enjoying someone’s company like that, it’s something,” Jaehwan commented nonchalantly, like he didn’t just spill something.

“Funny, because Seongwoo went through some shitty things too on that area, I guess universe has it’s own scientific agenda.” Minhyun laughed and Jaehwan replied with another amused laughter.

“Yeah, I guess, the universe indeed has that kind of magic,”.

(In Singapore, Jaehwan and Minhyun learn that genuine happiness is visible because they both indeed watched through the one that was not.)

 

 **Bali** **⎯**

When Seongwoo asked Daniel whether they should change the atmosphere, Daniel immediately lit up like a Christmas tree and answered _beach_ wholeheartedly and that is why they took a plane to the tropical county of Indonesia and landed in Bali and it is indeed a beautiful island with an even friendlier ambience and great cuisine, it is magical. 

And what even better is the fact that villa located just right – the majestic beach as their view, a private swimming pool, and just an all-round green environment – Seongwoo could live there forever, he wishes.

In fact, that morning is just perfect, he is seating on their perfectly comfortable bed and has Daniel planting butterfly kisses on his bare back and spoon him from behind while he is answering Minhyun about some cases on the phone. “Goodness, Minhyun, our rival’s consultant really can’t wait to fuck himself over thinking that he could fuck us up,” Seongwoo groaned as he palmed his own face.

“ _Don’t worry, I got this, you go enjoy Bali though, I bet it must be fun to f–_.” “Yep, that’s right, good bye, Minhyun, pleasure talking to you,” Seongwoo cut in and hung up immediately.

“I must admit though, you sound really attractive talking about you job and stuffs.” Daniel chuckled from behind and Seongwoo could feel his breath tickling his nape – it was still early in the morning, and they had a couple of rounds the night before, and they were probably the best Seongwoo has ever felt, because Daniel is simply amazing and Seongwoo likes him, like a lot.

“Can we call for breakfast though? I’m like, super hungry,” Seongwoo said when he laid on Daniel’s naked chest and it’s warm, being on Daniel’s arm feels so serene – it’s almost like being inside his thick blanket on rainy days – Daniel is comfortable like that.

“I have a better idea for breakfast though?” Daniel raised his eyebrow and smirked instead – hands already travelling downward on Seongwoo’s back.

And Seongwoo already lost his goddamn mind when Daniel started to fondle with his ass – his touch is gentle but it doesn’t mean it has less effect on Seongwoo. “Are you not like, tired or something?” Seongwoo grunted, even though he was provoking the younger male by placing kisses on Daniel’s jawline.

“How can I get tired of you honestly hyung?” Daniel chuckled instead and Seongwoo’s whole body burns – both from Daniel’s hands and words, they works like magic. And in a split second, he was already under Daniel again – Daniel laughs along while he traced Seongwoo’s curves with his lips, and it tickles Seongwoo but Seongwoo likes it so much.

Seongwoo also like playing with Daniel’s hair when Daniel is busy exploring his body – they feel so soft and so right in between his fingers, it almost calms him. Daniel kissed him on his lips afterward and make sure that he didn’t miss any spot. Before Daniel, Seongwoo liked it to be fast and just get done with it, but the fact that Daniel actually taking his sweet times to please Seongwoo, excites him even more.

Seongwoo closes his eyes and enjoy every burn Daniel makes on his skin, it feels so fucking amazing until Daniel swallows him whole, and it was so sudden that Seongwoo gasped so hard that he looks down, only to see Daniel working his magic mouth on Seongwoo’s cock and his mind went blank, again.

“Fuck,” Seongwoo groaned when Daniel has the audacity to smirk – how does he fucking do that? He moaned messily again when Daniel’s tongue trailed up and down repeatedly on his length – it feels so goddamn fantastic, even when Daniel teased him when he didn’t let Seongwoo cum but giving him one small kiss on the head of his cock that make Seongwoo to let out a desperate hiss.

But Daniel gave him a wicked smile instead as he grabbed Seongwoo’s thigh and lifted it up, spreading them more so he has the perfect view of Seongwoo’s hole – and Daniel sure takes some times admiring it over and over again even though it is their nth time doing it already.

“Goodness, Daniel, you are taking too long – _ah_ ,” Seongwoo moaned when he touched his own dick, pumping it slowly as Daniel helped him by guiding his palm.

“That’s because you look so fucking pretty, hyung, you should’ve seen yourself.” Daniel chuckled as Seongwoo could feel the tip of Daniel’s cock is right on the entrance of his hole. 

Seongwoo never felt better than when Daniel is inside him, it was a beautiful feeling – fuck, Seongwoo can’t even express it in any other way. Daniel’s everything fit it just right, like Daniel is made for Seongwoo alone and that’s sounds so fucking cheesy, but when Seongwoo let Daniel’s name escaped from his lips every time Daniel thrust in, it is the best feeling ever.

Seongwoo buries his hand on Daniel’s hair and wrapped his legs around Daniel tighter when Daniel goes deeper, that Seongwoo throw his head to the back – it feels out of the world, and they are synchronizing perfectly, it almost feels like they are following a music sheet and every note representing their movement that creates a melody – it feels so goddamn heavenly that Seongwoo forgets everything else matters.

When Daniel comes, he was so deep inside Seongwoo that Seongwoo could feel the warmth spreading all over his stomach – and Daniel let him cum along this time and Seongwoo swears that he could see stars and that is probably the best thing he ever felt as if he didn’t say that every time Daniel and him have sex.

Daniel kissed his forehead before he moved to his side and slipped out of Seongwoo – Seongwoo whined a bit at the lost but Daniel quickly engulfed him in a big tight hug and peppered him with small kisses on his faces, hands playing with Seongwoo’s.

“Breakfast in bed?” Daniel asked afterward with a huge grin.

“Breakfast in bed, and oh–.” Seongwoo paused just to plant a kiss on Daniel’s lips. “I want an extra egg benedict, please.” Seongwoo grinned as Daniel nodded before he moved to call the room service – and it feels so great, just cuddling with Daniel while waiting for their food to come with a prefect view of the beach, all for themselves.

Morning is just perfect like that.

 

\---

 

This is by far, the most serendipitous city that Seongwoo has ever experienced with Daniel – one time they are making out in a ridiculously nice hot tub, the next time they are on the street, holding onto each other so they won’t fall because they drank so much they almost didn’t know their names, but whatever it is, they are all just make Seongwoo feels nothing less than incredible.

Except when Daniel literally hauled him to the beach.

Seongwoo doesn’t really like going out to beach a lot to be very honest, but Daniel has his own agenda by dragging the latter to the most crowded one in Bali. “It will be fun! You need a little more touch from the sun, hyung,” Daniel chimed – it sounds like it is a good idea coming out from Daniel, even though it is literally the worst.

They eventually left the beach earlier than Seongwoo has expected because it was too packed and searched for the other beach – they ended up driving for almost two hours to find this beautiful beach at the south, with lesser people and amazing view.

“Let’s go to the water.” Daniel gave Seongwoo a shit-eating grin, while Seongwoo was just trying to relax on his beach chair under the huge umbrella.

“Nope,” Seongwoo replied almost too immediately, it was impressive how his whole body and mind reacted so fast to deny Daniel’s offer.

“Hyung, come on.” Daniel frowned – he looks so fucking adorable, despite his well-built body and board shoulder that Seongwoo enjoys so much. It is so sturdy that makes is so good to cling too, goodness, if only they weren’t in public.

“Daniel, honestly, I asked you whether you want to go swim at the beach or skinny dip at our pretty and private swimming pool, and you chose the first, and I don’t want it, so you go alone.” Seongwoo deadpanned, as he lowered his sunglasses a bit just to show Daniel how unimpressed he is with the latter’ choice.

“Are you being serious, right now? Why are you so afraid of the sea?” Daniel raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

“There are sharks, they could eat us, or worse, _me_ ,” Seongwoo taunted – it sounded so ridiculous that Daniel let out another cynical laugh.

“Can you blame them though? Even I would eat you.” Daniel smirked afterward.

“In the sea? Interesting kink, I see,” Seongwoo scoffed as he put back his sunglasses and moved back to his original position on the chair, which was laying down. 

“Well, only if you want to.” Daniel shrugged, and Seongwoo legitimately thinks that the younger has given up, but he is never more wrong than that when Daniel lifted his body up so easily and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

“Oh my goodness, Daniel!” Seongwoo shrieked – his blood quickly rush to his head, he doesn’t know it was fear or excitement.

“Put me fucking down, I swear, I will ruin you and your life if you don’t, Daniel,” Seongwoo threatened – it was a bunch of empty words, but it managed to make Daniel put him down – and they are in the water already, Seongwoo shivered at the sensation.

“Don’t worry, you won’t drown, I got you,” Daniel teased and his hands wrapped around Seongwoo waist tightly – and even inside the cold water, Daniel’s touch still ignite everything inside Seongwoo, it feels so great and so bad, because Seongwoo feels like he could trade anything just to keep them burning him.

“I know I won’t, but it doesn’t mean that you could just, just do _that_ ,” Seongwoo retorted like he is really annoyed.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know how to get you out of your little sanctuary.” Daniel laughed as he pointed at Seongwoo’s beach chair.

“Now what?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow because it was almost funny that both of them actually just standing there, almost hugging.

“Now we kiss?” Daniel asked, but he didn’t wait for the answer to do it anyway – and Seongwoo just have to splash the water to Daniel afterward, making them suddenly involve into some water fight. 

It was _very_ funny, but Seongwoo had fun and feels like he never been happier than that, like Daniel genuinely affect him with his natural sunshine – who the fuck says that you need water to drown? Sometimes all you need is a person – and Seongwoo has found that person.

Daniel is the person that no matter how and without any reason, Seongwoo would always wish for happiness, because it fits him perfectly, and Seongwoo wants to be happy because Daniel is happy – Daniel redefines happiness for him. They kissed a lot more when it was time for sunset, as they just walked side by side at the beach line, talking about dolphins and jellyfishes – they ended up sitting on the sand to talk, Seongwoo’s head resting on Daniel’s shoulder, hands intertwined with each other.

And Daniel had to give Seongwoo a piggyback ride on the way to the car because Seongwoo is too lazy to move and Daniel is more than willing to carry Seongwoo around. “We can go skinny dip when we get back to the villa, if you still want it,” Daniel said – Seongwoo, who has already dozed off on his back, immediately perks his head up.

“You have to carry me again though, I still have to drive for another two hours after this,” Seongwoo replied instead.

“You do not realize how heavy you are, huh?” Daniel sneered.

“Shut up Daniel, you are way, way heavier than I am,” Seongwoo huffed as he leaned to Daniel’s back again when Daniel laughed again – goodness, Seongwoo likes it so much, he won’t get tired of saying it.

“Don’t worry though, I would love to carry you everywhere,”.

(In Bali, Seongwoo learns that happiness comes within a person, and he hopes that this someone’ light could transfers onto him someday.)

 

 **Hong Kong** **⎯**  

There is only one core reason why Daniel and Seongwoo picked Hong Kong next, and that is Disneyland. He knows that there are other Disneyland around the world but Hong Kong seems like a perfect choice – and it is. Daniel likes everything so far, because it almost feels like nothing could go wrong at that moment.

“You look super adorable, just saying,” Daniel cooed when Seongwoo put on a headwear with a pair of mouse ears and ridiculously huge, glittery bow in the middle.

“You should wear one too so I don’t look all funny alone,” Seongwoo replied instead as he searched for a headwear for Daniel – Daniel couldn’t help but laugh.

Seongwoo then settled with a tiger ears headwear and put it on Daniel, and Daniel kissed the tip of nose when he struggled to put it on the right place. “Stay still first.” Seongwoo scrunched his nose, until he found the right spot and kissed Daniel square on the lips afterward. “There you go.” Seongwoo grinned, pleased with his work and it surprisingly still awe Daniel – the fact how good looking Seongwoo is up close.

Seongwoo is a work of art, and Jaehwan is straight up right when he said that Daniel is probably out of Seongwoo’s league two cities ago. Seongwoo is just a whole package shoved into Daniel, and Daniel really hopes that he could keep the older for a long time, as anything.

“I am really concerned, Daniel, you spaced out a lot these days,” Seongwoo commented and bring back Daniel’s sense – they are holding hands, and Seongwoo is pulling him through the crowds to find the ride they have been wanting to try.

“You distract me a lot, hyung, that’s why.” Daniel smirked.

“Hm? Really though?” Seongwoo stopped and tilted his head a bit, acting like he doesn’t know what Daniel is talking about – goodness, Daniel is really grateful that he has reached the stage where Seongwoo let him to do anything to him – so, he squished Seongwoo’s face with his free hand.

“Cute,” Daniel remarked, as he squeezed the older’ cheek once again before letting them go.

“My cheeks will sink in at some point,” Seongwoo grunted afterward, making Daniel let out a chuckle.

“I’ll still play with it, I’ll like it nonetheless,” Daniel replied nonchalantly instead and he could see how Seongwoo turned red as he turned his head away from Daniel. “No, no, let me take a look at that.” Daniel laughed as he followed the direction of Seongwoo’s head.

“You are so annoying, Daniel.” Seongwoo protested when Daniel looked him in the eye and Daniel’s heart melts a lot. Daniel is pretty sure whatever Seongwoo does will never be abled to fail to make his heart beats faster or just soften to the rate that Daniel doesn’t even understand.

Daniel sometimes thinks about the possibilities of people leaving whenever he meets people – how, when, what happened or most importantly whether it will matter for him or not – Seongwoo will and Daniel doesn’t even want to know how, when or what, but he does know that Seongwoo’s leaving is going to hurt him very much.

How did a stranger who offers him the weirdest idea ever become _that_? Seongwoo is probably one of the strangest things that has ever happened to Daniel, and everything Daniel planned about this trip is being defied by the latter. Daniel probably already forgot about how the trip suppose to be the time where he has some alone time, appreciate more things in life, and just figure himself, in Porto.

Instead, he found himself in someone else, in Seongwoo, in every city they visited as their little rendezvous, in every foods and every building, in every nights he shared with Seongwoo.

If this doesn’t work out, then Daniel wouldn’t know how to cope up and come back to each city and not being reminded with Ong Seongwoo.

Like how he will go back to Disneyland and only remembers how he kissed Seongwoo in front of the castle while holding him like a princess, and how Seongwoo protested a lot but complied with Daniel’s request anyway – it was uncanny, and people are looking at them weirdly because they were laughing too loud and at some point Seongwoo was screeching.

Or how they bought Mickey-shaped pizza and sat on the pavement at Fantasyland, like it was the normal thing ever, because it did. Or how Seongwoo fell asleep on his shoulder when they rode the train back to the city, and how he nuzzled his face on Daniel’s shoulder like it’s always been like that,

Like it’s always been his home.

 

\---

 

They planned to go to the Victoria Peak at the afternoon, after fighting over how they should just stay on bed but Daniel argued that they have done that enough at the previous city, they couldn’t let just Hong Kong go to waste. At the end Seongwoo gave in, and Daniel danced a ridiculous victorious dance that made Seongwoo to sneer so loud.

Daniel decided to hit the bathroom first, since Seongwoo is still perfectly wrapped inside his blanket – and if Daniel has any less self-control, he would’ve agreed to stay there for the rest of the day with the older. And Daniel was ready to just grab the latter and drag him to the shower when he heard Seongwoo was talking with someone, and he could hear it just right behind the corner of the bedroom. 

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Seongwoo sounded so frustrated, and Daniel doesn’t even have to look at him to know. “I don’t care if you can’t do anything without me, I barely give a fuck because you didn’t give me one back then, so stop trying to reach out to me, it won’t get you anywhere,” Seongwoo snapped so hard, Daniel could almost feel his hard breathing down to his spine.

The next thing he heard is Seongwoo probably throwing his phone away to the bed and Daniel decided to come back to the bathroom, to figure out what to do before Seongwoo surprisingly went inside. “You can use the bathroom now.” Daniel grinned nonchalantly, hoping that Seongwoo doesn’t notice his uneasiness.

“We should’ve done it together to save the water, you know,” Seongwoo snickered and it was impressive because Daniel just heard him being mad.

“Trust me, it would waste more water hyung, don’t you remember Paris?” Daniel raised his eyebrow before he let out a small chuckle when Seongwoo let out a scoff – and then they went into silence.

It is almost funny because Seongwoo is standing there only with his boxer covered by the bathrobe he is wearing improperly and Daniel is standing just in front of him, half-naked with only the towel covering his lower body part – but they are staring at each other in slight tense.

“You should have shaved.” Seongwoo was the one to reach out his hand and touched Daniel’s little stubble – Daniel was startled a bit at first before he leaned in to the touch.

“I think I kind of look hot with it,” Daniel joked.

“Don’t be ridiculous, well, maybe you would in a couple of years,” Seongwoo chuckled as he took the razor from the sink countertop. “I’ll help?” Seongwoo was asking for permission and Daniel gladly nodded – Seongwoo smiled afterward, it was kind of sad smile, and Daniel just wants to kiss it and make it better for him.

Daniel helped a bit when Seongwoo applied the shaving cream, before he gently moved the razor on his jaw line area – Seongwoo was so focused that Daniel forgets that he has things to ask. Seongwoo was so careful when he held Daniel’s face, shaving every corner slowly and Daniel never had someone to do that for him, yet it feels so natural when Seongwoo does it.

“You heard, did you not?” Seongwoo let out a bitter chuckle that Daniel hasn’t heard for cities already, when they finished and Daniel just cleaned off the remaining cream on his face.

“I will _not-heard_ it if you don’t want me to,” Daniel replied – he doesn’t want to lie, not to Seongwoo, he wanted to ask anyway.

“It’s fine, I’m – I’m okay if it’s you.” Seongwoo smiled slightly and that’s when Daniel stretch out his hand to reach Seongwoo’s nape, and guide him to his hug.

“Are you okay?” Daniel asked when Seongwoo returned his hug almost too tightly.

“No, yes, I don’t know, the conversation was wild.” Seongwoo’s laugh was muffled because he pressed his face on Daniel’s bare shoulder blade.

“Describe wild.” Daniel said as he stroked Seongwoo’s back. 

“So, I didn’t know it was him, I thought he was a client. He started with accusing me cheating on him with you, since it’s apparently a common knowledge now that we are travelling together, and it makes zero sense but then he ended it with telling me how much he miss me and stuffs, and I just – look, I moved on,” Seongwoo said and at the end of his sentence he pulled out a little so he could look at Daniel – and Daniel melts, a lot. 

“I think it is easier to just forget how to care about someone when you realized he is not the one,” Seongwoo added afterward.

“Do you still miss him? Like you know, think of him sometimes?” Daniel asked instead – he couldn’t help but did, because he has been wondering for quite awhile. At some point, he realized that Seongwoo did have a past with this ex-boyfriend, and whether it’s bad or good, it will always follow and haunt him at certain point.

“You won’t believe me, Daniel, but I do not actually,” Seongwoo said and the way he said it, is without any hesitancy, like he, himself believe in it and makes Daniel wants to believe in it too. “Like I said, I think it’s much more effective when you are so busy doing everything else, like you finally come to your sense and decided that because it doesn’t bother you any longer, you just stop.”

“Can I be really honest with you though?” Daniel asked instead, making Seongwoo tilted his head and stared at him intently – Daniel decided to go for it.

“I don’t want to be _that_ , I don’t want to be someone who you forget because you do everything else, and one day you just come back to your sense and you just stop caring about me.” Daniel added – Seongwoo has to pull away completely from Daniel’s arms when he listened to him and Daniel’s heart breaks a little.

“Do you ever think that even if I wanted to, I could never do that? Especially not to you, Daniel, because I trust you,” Seongwoo replied minutes after.

“Did you not trust him?” Daniel asked, again.

“Not enough, because this happens, because I could’ve just go anywhere and forget about him but you –.” Seongwoo paused and Daniel thinks that Seongwoo just registers properly whatever he is going to say next and it alarmed him, Daniel could tell from the look on his eyes.

“I could’ve run away and I’d still think of you,".

(In Hong Kong, Daniel learns that there are too many things to be confused about, and he wants all of them to stop – he wants to stop worrying about falling.)

 

 **Tokyo** **⎯**

Seongwoo realizes one thing – that it is getting shorter, whatever it is. It feels like somebody keeps cutting the length and Seongwoo has so many things to do and to be said but he has not enough papers, and he is running out of time even though he has yet to set the limit. And Tokyo is busy, much more busier than New York, Seongwoo would like to believe, because everything happens there – every kind of things.

“What would you rather be, a sun or a moon?” Daniel asked when they walked around Harajuku.

“What’s with the sudden question?” Seongwoo quirked his eyebrow and Daniel is actually looking all that serious when he asked that. “A moon then,” Seongwoo added at the end, fingers busy playing with Daniel’s.

“I thought you are a moon too.” Daniel laughed – goodness, Seongwoo loves that, and he doesn’t even want to deny it anymore.

“What is the best dish you can cook?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow and the question. “What is happening, why are you suddenly investigating me?” Seongwoo chuckled and Daniel squeezed his hand a little bit and Seongwoo finds it endearing.

“I can’t even cook, I can’t even make a ramen cup right, and you witnessed it,” Seongwoo replied nonetheless. “Right, it was a dumb question, you can’t even pour a cereal right.” Daniel snickered, and Seongwoo let out a loud scoff.

“I can’t believe that you just _roast_ me back.” Seongwoo snorted in disbelief.

“Ah, what am I going to do with you hyung.” Daniel grinned as he gave Seongwoo a side-hug – their heights don’t have that much differences, but Daniel always able to make Seongwoo feels so small.

“What do you mean by what are you going to do with me?” Seongwoo let out a small laugh as he patted Daniel’s head before he ruffled it slightly – it is so soft and Seongwoo really like how nice it feels to be this close with Daniel.

“I don’t know, maybe because I am with you so much these days, I feel like I’m responsible for you or something.” Daniel chuckled.

“I’m a year older than you,” Seongwoo protested.

“Well, yeah but that doesn’t actually makes you in charge,” Daniel sneered and shrugged.

“I didn’t raise you to insult me like this.” Seongwoo shook his head and Daniel laughed, again – it is so satisfying to hear, like Seongwoo actually accomplishes something. Seongwoo likes it how easy to make Daniel happy, like it has been there for a long time, just buried a little bit and it doesn’t take much to take it out.

Seongwoo conclude that Daniel embodies happiness from the first place, it is hard not feel his warm, because it just come out so naturally, Seongwoo forgets a long time ago Minhyun once described Daniel with the word _reserved_.

“I used to go to Tokyo often when I was a child actually,” Daniel said out of the blue as he shifted his gaze to the shops around him. “Grandpa used to bring me here for, cultural learning,” Daniel continued and Seongwoo nodded.

“It’s a nice city, crowded and busy, but still nice, you obviously can learn a lot,” Seongwoo commented as he leaned against Daniel while they are still walking through the pavement.

“I forget everything actually.” Daniel chuckled and being there with Daniel is nicer – actually everywhere with Daniel feels a tad nicer, he doesn’t realize that the days are fleeting. 

Maybe Seongwoo should’ve counted so he would now where they are exactly right then. Maybe he should think about this before he asked Daniel to tag along or when he decided that it is a good idea to be involved in this kind of situation, but he can’t really blame himself, he didn’t know that he would develop all kind of feelings with Daniel because this was supposed to be _casual_.

But Daniel makes it so hard to acknowledge that they are most probably here today and gone tomorrow.

 

\---

 

Daniel took him to a famous ramen shop that they have to wait in line for about forty minutes to get a seat – and the place is so small and cramped. They talked a bit when queuing and laughed a lot, and Seongwoo really loves it – it feels like nothing could go wrong, and if it does, everything is going to be just fine as long as he has Daniel.

It is a brave assumption, Seongwoo knows, because how long will a safe assurance like that usually last? Certainly not long enough. People should really count the time, because once they lose the grip of it, that’s when they start going down – like Seongwoo does. It doesn’t matter how much fun they have, at some point they have to go back.

It has been a very exciting adventure with Kang Daniel, but until when will it last? When they got home, everything will change, worst case is that they come back to whatever they are before each other, and it’s so fucking scary. Seongwoo has become basically attached to Daniel, and the same goes with the latter. 

“Hey.” Daniel flicked his fingers in front of Seongwoo’s face – his expression is in between confusion and worries, and Seongwoo hastily brushed it off with a smile. “What happened?” Daniel raised his eyebrow in concern.

“Nothing.” Seongwoo let out a short chuckle.

“You sure?” Daniel doesn’t believe him of course, Daniel already knows him like that, but Seongwoo nodded, hoping that Daniel would let this one pass – and he did, so they got back to the silence they were in a couple minutes earlier.

“I have something to tell you.” They both said in unison somewhat, and Seongwoo tilted his head in confusion but Daniel signaled him to go first.

“I just want to say, thank you for everything,” Seongwoo said at last, and he feels like his smile ever been more genuine than that – because he truly means it. “Thank you for not making me sad at night, and listen to my music even though we have a huge difference in taste, for listening and being here with me, for agreeing to this stupid, stupid, idea.” The words flow just like that, that Seongwoo is even surprised with himself.

“Then I need to thank you too, thank you for bringing me along to this stupid, stupid idea. I owe you, a lot, actually, thank you for letting me know that someone is out here appreciating me just for being me, and for appreciating Artic Monkeys,” Daniel replied, with a mirroring smile – Seongwoo has always like Daniel’s smile, it’s like the sun has graced itself and be a part of his smile. 

“Wait, I need to go to the toilet, actually, stay there because I need to talk about something,” Daniel said out of the blue, and it almost confusing because he suddenly looked so nervous but Seongwoo chose to ignore it.

Daniel is gone quite a long time actually, and he didn’t bring his phone either – the device is on the small table they shared. How it went down is super quick, Seongwoo didn’t even process it correctly until minutes later. 

There were chat notifications popping out on Daniel’s screen and Seongwoo is never a nosy person, but he recognizes the name all too well – Daniel mentioned it once or twice with a very bitter tone.

_It is certain that you are going back to town, right?_

_Hyung really needs your help, Niel_.

When Daniel came back and looked at his own phone, he scrunched his nose as if he was thinking hard and Seongwoo tried to act as if nothing happened. Daniel weirdly excused himself again to make a call and Seongwoo let him – but it fucking hurts so bad, Seongwoo doesn’t even know what is happening but it feels like the pain is already there from the start, like he should’ve known that this is going to happen.

Minutes has passed when Daniel is seated again in front of him, face full of guilt and that’s when Seongwoo knows. He is actually aware that they have to go back home nonetheless – he has a job and Daniel has his class starting soon, but he just doesn’t want to go back for every wrong reason. 

“I need to go back home,” Daniel said at the end – his tone was so miserable, it makes Seongwoo feels worse. “I know it’s so sudden, we even have another city scheduled, but my small-sized brain forgets that it is my grandpa’s birthday this weekend,” Daniel explained – it was a lame excuse though, Seongwoo would’ve preferred Daniel to tell him the truth. 

_I need to go back home because my supposedly ex-crush needs my help and I still can’t say no to him, because he still matters the most._

That would’ve been more fitting – that would’ve destroyed Seongwoo completely, not just being half-assed broken like this. “Ah, really? Let’s just go home then, we could just go to another city some other time.” Lies, Daniel should’ve been able to tell.

And Seongwoo feels like he does, when Daniel looked at him in confusion before he lit up a little. “You can stay though, or – or, ah, I will just go back home this weekend and just go back here again – or, ah! You can come –.”

“Let’s just go home, Daniel, we should go home nonetheless,” Seongwoo cut in and Daniel’s previous smile falters a lot, it was heartbreaking – everything is. 

“Okay hyung, let’s go home,".

(In Tokyo, Seongwoo learns that everything can’t just last forever – everything has its own ending eventually, no matter how many infinites they are promised with.)

**Seoul** **⎯**

It is fall already when Seongwoo landed his feet at Seoul again – his home, somewhere he come from and somewhere he comes back to at the end of the day – Seoul doesn’t feel like one anymore, it feels slightly crooked like a significant piece is missing and Seongwoo doesn’t even want to act like he doesn’t know what’s been lacking.

It has been two weeks since he last saw Daniel, talk to Daniel, answering Daniel’s attempt to contact him, delete his social media applications, everything that might remind him of Daniel. It is a terribly wrong move, and even deep inside Seongwoo knows that Daniel doesn’t deserve this, that Daniel doesn’t deserve him.

Sometimes people meet the right person at the wrong time, because Seongwoo wonders what will it be like if they would have met in a much more normal situation, at their home city, with both hearts completely available and ready – it would’ve been better, _maybe_ , Seongwoo thinks and the thought tears Seongwoo apart in all honesty.

Seongwoo came back to work just a little over a week ago and tries to act like everything is so fucking normal when it is not. Minhyun, being an observant he is, obviously knows something is up, but Seongwoo shrugged it off many times already that Minhyun has almost given up trying to know. 

One thing is that Seongwoo doesn’t even intend to forget about Daniel completely, because Daniel plays such a big part of his life – and times has a funny concept like that, it has a power to make people attached with other people in such a short amount of moments.

He almost calls back or messages Daniel back so many times that the tip of his finger is almost so ready to press the button, but he never did. Maybe in the future when _he_ figures things out but not in the mean time – it sounds like a dick, selfish move and it is, Seongwoo doesn’t even have any excuse to deny that – or when he is not afraid anymore, because in reality, Seongwoo is so scared that he might rip his head off if he could. 

“Your sister drop by earlier.” Seongwoo looked up from his laptop to find Minhyun standing in front of his desk.

“Really? She didn’t say anything.” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow in confusion as he peeked on his phone to see any notification.

“The receptionist didn’t say anything specific either, he said she just entrusted this to you, it seems important because it is addressed to your family house, also she said she’s passing the building anyway so why not give it to you?” Minhyun shrugged and handed him a letter – it looks yellowish, and Minhyun left him to inspect the letter.

It is addressed to him, _Ong Seongwoo, Seoul_ – it is weird, no one really sends him letter anymore, at least not an informal one.

 _Dear, Seongwoo. First of all, I’m sorry to hear that your latest relationship didn’t work out well_.

It didn’t take Seongwoo long to realize who is it from – and Seongwoo doesn’t actually expect to get a reply but there he is, carefully reading each word that was written on a piece of paper – and Seongwoo read it over and over again. It wasn’t that long, but it hit Seongwoo in every right and wrong spot. 

It made him feels like the biggest piece of shit in the world – it made him feel like he just kicked an innocent puppy or kitten.

“Where are you going?” Minhyun asked when Seongwoo proceeded to leave the room.

“I need to call someone,” Seongwoo replied hastily, before he eventually left the floor – and he did, for the first time in two weeks, he dialed Daniel’s phone number that the younger used to send him messages.

_I know you are scared and it’s okay, after all what is the point if it doesn’t scare you a little bit?_

Daniel didn’t pick up, and Seongwoo wouldn’t too if he is in Daniel’s position – who is he to call after two weeks ignoring the latter and thinks that he could just waltz into his life as he pleases? Seongwoo feels like the biggest dickhead out there, he hates it that he went through some stupid overly emotional phase and pushed Daniel away.

 _But the scariest thing will be the fact that you don’t give it a try. Love may not guarantee a happy ending, but you will always learn something from it. Eventually, you will learn who is worth the try_.

Seongwoo leaned to the elevator, waiting impatiently before he literally stormed off when they arrived at the ground floor. Seongwoo doesn’t know why did he do what he did – will he go to Daniel’s place? He doesn’t even know the address. Fuck this shit. 

_You shouldn’t fear that you would end up telling me another bad relationship the next time you write to me, because I’m more afraid the next time I read your letter and it would say; I wish things went differently, I wish I went after him, or what if I were not afraid?_

_In short, I am more afraid that you will end up wondering what could’ve gone right._

Seongwoo took a deep breath – he was in the middle of the pavement, and people are passing by him but he is so confused and he doesn’t know what to do. Everything is stupid, he is stupid, and he wants to run away – so he started to walk aimlessly. It was his fifth steps when he hit someone pretty hard.

He mutters a low _sorry_ before starting to walk again, not paying enough focus until someone grabbed his arm – and he had to turn his head around to see the person himself.

 _Seongwoo, I genuinely hope you find the courage, so he won’t be your_ almost, _and may you find your happiness within him_. _With all my love, Juliet_.

“Hi.” Seongwoo swears that he would’ve screamed and hug the latter immediately if he wasn’t too surprised to see Daniel in flesh, in front of him, looking so goddamn amazing like Seongwoo remembers him, as always. “What are you doing here?” Seongwoo managed to ask like a normal person after seconds passed.

“I was just passing by, yeah, you know, a very usual street to walk and –.” Daniel looked way more troubled than he is before – even Seongwoo knows that Daniel knows how terrible he is at lying.

“Oh my goodness, fuck it, who am I kidding anyway, I wanted to _try_ to meet you, and here you are somehow, magically walking on the street as well? Goodness, this is weird,” Daniel said and he sounded a little unsure that it breaks Seongwoo’s heart a bit.

“I wanted to see you too, what a coincidence,” Seongwoo replied and Daniel snorted before he let out a chuckle – why is everything so fitting with Daniel, even when they are not talking to each other, just like how they met? It makes Seongwoo almost believe in fate.

“ _You_ , out of all people, are saying it’s a coincidence. How funny of you, you are the one who told me that you don’t believe in it.” Daniel scoffed.

“New York, is it not? I told you that in New York,” Seongwoo muttered mostly to himself. “I called you earlier,” Seongwoo added.

“Oh, you finally get a grip on technology after two weeks?” Daniel raised his eyebrow sarcastically, Seongwoo almost laughs.

“I’m sorry about that, truly, you don’t deserve my stupidity. But, on the other hand, Juliet managed to get in contact with me through her letter.” Seongwoo tried to joke and Daniel smiled – it was an enough accomplishment for him.

“You got her reply already too?” Daniel asked instead.

“Yeah, I must say, Juliet sounds pretty legit.” Seongwoo shrugged even though his heart is racing in unstable pace – he is finally seeing Daniel again after weeks – what is it with Daniel that even though after days not talking, being with Daniel feels like the most normal thing ever?

“So, why did you call me all of the sudden after disappearing just like that?” Daniel still smiles, but it is the same sad smile that Seongwoo hates the most.

“I have my reasons, and I want you to hear them.” Seongwoo took a deep breath in between. “Also, I miss you,” Seongwoo continued as he touched the hem of Daniel’s hoodie under his long coat.

“It’s really not my place to say that after I ignored you for goodness-knows-how-long, it was unfair to you, I, uh, I want to make things right, I’m so sorry,” Seongwoo muttered, he lowered his head because he is afraid of what Daniel has to say – Seongwoo concludes that he is too dumb to be true, he shouldn’t have done whatever he did.

Daniel takes time to answer, and when he did, he reached out his hand and lifted Seongwoo’s face gently so he could look Seongwoo in the eye before he grinned slightly. He released Seongwoo’s face and opened his palm in front of Seongwoo instead – a sign for Seongwoo to take his hand. 

“Go somewhere with me?”

 

\---

 

Daniel never drives during their trips, just because he doesn’t think far enough to get an international driving license – but he is driving that evening, and having Seongwoo on the passenger seat feels so familiar. “How do you know my office’s address?” Seongwoo broke the silence first – it wasn’t uncomfortable though, but they didn’t meet just to stare at the road.

“We, _young_ people, use Internet, you should try it sometimes.” Daniel snorted and Seongwoo let out a small scoff, eyes still on the street – none of them really look at each other.

“I am only a year older than you, Daniel. Stop making it sounds like I’m a whole generation above you.” Seongwoo taunted.

“You always use that fact only whenever it’s convenient for you, I doubt that it still counts at this point.” Daniel replied before they went back into another silence.

“I’m sorry,” Seongwoo said the first thing again. “I promised you that we will still be friends, but I’m the one who cut all the contacts. You don’t deserve that,” Seongwoo continued, and none of them are sure whose heart breaks the most at that second. “I was sacred, about a lot of things regarding you, I don’t want to break you, and I don’t want to break myself.”

“Most importantly, I don’t want you to just be an _okay_ distraction and I don’t want to be _that_ for you too. I know we have been through some shitty, shitty things with our feelings.” Seongwoo sighed at the end. 

“Look, I was mad at first, at you, for doing that to me. I thought we would be different, I thought we had something – friendship for the very least. I hope a lot for us, you know.” Daniel replied almost immediately.

“But anyway, Haruki Murakami said in one of his books,” Daniel said, and Seongwoo raised his eyebrow – it still amuses him how Daniel actually reads and remembers a lot. “ _But the place you return to is always slightly different from the place you left. That’s the rule. It can never be exactly the same_.”

“But Seoul becomes so fucking different since the first day I arrived, not just slightly. Funny because nothing has changed, my apartment is still the same, and my family is still the same and even Jaehwan and pretty much everything. And then I realized because _you_ happened,” Daniel concluded.

“Because you, Ong Seongwoo, decided to just change everything, that everything will never be the same.”

“And then I also realized that it doesn’t only apply in Seoul. It applies to every city that I have stepped on with you, and this is probably why Ernest Hemingway said that never to go on trips with anyone you do not love.” Daniel added, in slight frustration this time.

“I even made a goddamn list, hyung. That I couldn’t visit Porto without thinking back about how you snatched my ice cream, or how I couldn’t go to London without thinking how nice it was when you let me kissed you for the first time.” Daniel paused – the memories suddenly rushed back in so quickly.

“Or, how I won’t be able to visit Verona without remembering how nice it was to have you next to me in the morning or Bali, where we just had a nice, enjoyable time or even Tokyo, I couldn’t go there without thinking how nice will it be if I were with you.” Daniel ended.

Seongwoo takes time to process everything, before he turned his body to face Daniel from his seat, looking determined as fuck. “And why do you think I said that I could’ve run away and I’d still think of you? It was so fucking scary just to think about it.” Seongwoo let out a deep breath. 

“Do you really think I could revisit New York and not think about how we met like the fucking _fate_ has designed us to do so? Or do you think I could go to Edinburgh and not think about how you witnessed my mental breakdown but still chose to stay? How about Budapest where we got dead drunk and we actually slept together for the first time?” Seongwoo countered.

“Do you think I could go to Paris and forget about that night inside the stupid bathtub? Where I took your virginity –.”

“I wasn’t a virgin, goodness!” Daniel retorted – it is almost funny, if only they aren’t trying to make a point of their own.

“Or Hong Kong? I let you witnessed my second breakdown, do you think I’ll be able to go back there and not think how great it is if I have you there?” Seongwoo added nonchalantly. “Or even Tokyo where you left me,” Seongwoo muttered quietly afterward.

“What was that again? I left you? Hyung, I thought we agreed to go home.” Daniel actually took a second to look at Seongwoo. “I apologized that I have to leave early that cause us to shorten our trips, but my grandpa is really strict about family celebration, but I asked you to join –.”

“Just tell me the truth, Daniel, I won’t be mad,” Seongwoo cut in instead with a sad smile as he touched Daniel’s arm slightly.

“What?” Daniel asked in utter confusion afterward. “I am telling you the truth.”

“Look, Daniel, I know you want to meet _him_ , that’s why you went home,” Seongwoo replied instead – and his tone sounds so devastating, that it confused Daniel more.

“Who’s _him_? The person I want to meet the most didn’t answer my calls for two weeks,” Daniel pointed out.

“ _Him_ , you know, your _crush_ hyung? You know what? I know this should probably be counted as invading your privacy but I didn’t mean it, I swear the message just popped out and it said _hyung needs you, Niel_. At the ramen shop, remember? And then you read it and made a phone call and then you decided to just go home?” Seongwoo explained.

Daniel has to scrunch his nose, taps the steering wheel vigorously and thinks really hard before he could understand what Seongwoo was saying. “Oh my goodness, please don’t tell me that it’s the reason you didn’t pick up my calls,” Daniel groaned.

“Well, yeah, it played a big part, because it showed that you still obviously care for him, and I was just –.”

“I didn’t even open his messages.” Daniel cut in, as he sighed helplessly – thank goodness that there are some serious traffic going on so he could actually focus on what he is about to say.

“I know what he was asking, he said that he knows that I’m going back home right? I didn’t call him, I called my grandpa’s staffs, to tell them to stop giving him any information regarding me.” Daniel elaborated.

“Look, I’ve told you before that he is into some world peace research, right? My grandparents owns a foundation that fund those kind of research, so yeah, you can connect, uh, things.” Daniel shrugged.

“I really did go to my grandpa’s birthday, hyung, I swear on my existence, remember when I said I had something to tell you even before the message came? I was going to tell you that,” Daniel said as he turned his head to face Seongwoo, who was actually staring at him with utter confusion before it hits him.

“Now I just feel guilty, and silly, and stupid,” Seongwoo replied nonchalantly as he hides his whole face with both of his palms.

“Maybe because you should be! Goodness hyung, I even posted my family picture on Instagram! How did you miss that?” Daniel retorted in disbelief, even though he was smiling because Seongwoo looks too adorable, making all the abashed face.

“Did you un-follow me? That would be a low blow, hyung.” Daniel gasped and made it sounds like he is offended at his best.

“I actually deleted the whole app from my phone, so.” Seongwoo bit his lips as he grinned sheepishly. “I’m so, so sorry, you really don’t deserve all of this bullshits I created,” Seongwoo said in a very, very low voice.

“Hyung, I would never do what you think I did, to you, because I cherish you too much.” Daniel said – one of his hands is on the wheel and the other he decided to use it to reach Seongwoo, who is awkwardly seating there because he realized that he is just a massive ball of misunderstanding and stupidity.

“You are not just a distraction, you are more than that, more than enough even. I was also scared because I was as confused as you.” Daniel started, this is what he wants to say from the second he met Seongwoo earlier.

“And I would’ve been just fine if you are just a mere replacement, but me without you for two weeks is like a wake-up call, like some sort of a confirmation that I need you in a way I don’t even understand.” Seongwoo’s smile rose as Daniel gently stroked his hair.

“So, you don’t have to worry about that.” Daniel smiled.

“You see, those two weeks actually bring some goods,” Seongwoo replied instead and Daniel followed with a chuckle, before they both went into another silence – and this one is way far more comfortable than before.

“I like you, Seongwoo hyung, and goodness know I should’ve said that many cities ago,” Daniel confessed at last. “I like that you appreciate my laugh –.”

“I love your laughs, they are the best, you also have the best smile, like the smile that will instantly warm the world up,” Seongwoo elaborated, cutting Daniel’s sentence midway.

“You just, stay with me for being who I am,” Daniel continued.

“It’s because I like you, Daniel. I just, I’m so bad at keeping things casual, am I not?” Daniel laughed at the statement – he wanted to kiss Seongwoo so bad.

“What makes you call though? Like, what makes you change your mind earlier? Because I’m pretty sure we will still be in that not-talking state if it’s not because of something,” Daniel said.

“Because I don’t want you to ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere.” Seongwoo grinned and Daniel has to think hard before responding.

“Okay, but I am like ninety percent sure that is another Taylor Swift’s lyric, you know you can just tell me if you like her.” Seongwoo laughed at Daniel’s sentence as the younger huffed.

“Is it really because of Juliet’s letter?” Daniel asked rather in amusement afterward.

“Well, I told you it’s pretty legit, but then I decided I want to give us a try. I have done it once, so why stop there? If it was a great idea back then, what makes it isn’t now?” Seongwoo shrugged.

“Also, you made me feel like I could understand Juliet even just a tiny little bit, like what she did makes sense if it comes to you."

 

\---

 

Daniel takes them to Gwangjang Market, and Seongwoo seriously thinks it couldn’t get any better than that. And the night is chilly since it is fall after all – and Seongwoo shivered as soon as he got out from Daniel’s car because the wind was so strong. Since all Seongwoo did earlier was unplanned as its best, he left without even bringing his blazer or even turning off his laptop that he has to ask Minhyun to do it.

“Hands up,” Daniel instructed and Seongwoo did it right away, even though he has no idea what Daniel is doing. And when a soft fabric engulfed his body all of the sudden, he realized that Daniel is helping him to wear his hoodie. “You like this one,” Daniel commented as he grinned when Seongwoo is fully wrapped in his clothes.

“I do, yeah.” Seongwoo smiled back as he sniffed the sleeves – it smells like Daniel a lot and Seongwoo misses and adores it.

“Great,” Daniel said as he planted a kiss on Seongwoo’s forehead before he opened the backseat’s door to grab another jacket to cover his own body – and when he came back to Seongwoo, the older threw himself to Daniel and pressed their lips together – and it does feels like home, the kiss almost feels like London all over again.

“Let’s go eat something?” Seongwoo looks so goddamn endearing, and Daniel has to use all his power not to squeeze the older male, but he did nonetheless, and Seongwoo let out a small grunt, but he’s enjoying the affection so much.

They finally entered the market and picked somewhere to seat and order some street foods, and Daniel is smiling the whole time, Seongwoo feels like everything is okay again – and everything is.

“What if I want to make a research about world peace?” Seongwoo quirked his eyebrow when their _kimbap_ came.

“Why would you want to make a research about yourself?” Daniel replied instead, and Seongwoo almost choked on the _kimbap_ he was trying to eat – and Daniel enjoys the horror on Seongwoo’s face.

“That is legitimately the lamest thing I have ever heard in my entire life, Daniel.” Seongwoo snorted and Daniel laughed at the reaction. “Tell me more about him though, you never told me that he _used_ you,” Seongwoo added afterward and Daniel’s face died down right away that it hurts.

“He took advantages of me, my connection to be exact, you were right honestly when you first said he sounds like a dick, because when you think about it, he truly is, at least to me eventually. I didn’t tell you because I don’t want you to host my pity party for the rest of the trip.” Daniel said with his infamous bitter smile.

Goodness, when the time comes for Seongwoo to met this guy, he will sue the guy for sure – no one can make Daniel sad, even he almost slapped himself for making Daniel sad.

“I guess you just realize that you will never be a matter to someone until that extent, to the point where he is using you and you are okay with it for the sake of gaining just a tiny glimpse of affection. I was in my dark times, I hated myself,” Daniel continued. “It was honestly just sad, hyung, I don’t want you to know that because it doesn’t bother me any longer.” Daniel shrugged.

“Is it because of me?” Seongwoo nudged his arm playfully.

“Yeah,” Daniel said almost immediately. “I guess, they say it’s not love if you are not struggling a bit but you just make it so easy to be in love with someone that I forget what it’s like to struggle to _love_.” Daniel smiled at the end of his sentence as Seongwoo reached out to ruffled his hair gently.

“It goes the same for you then,” Seongwoo said. “I have never told you this either because I don’t want you to pity me, but I was a pathetic person, who act like he was happy when he know he wasn’t just because he don’t want to be left alone by someone who wasn’t even worth it.” Daniel pulled his seat closer to Seongwoo, leaning in more to Seongwoo’s touch.

“And they also say that you have to take your time to fall in love with someone else after you went through a break up, but goodness, you make me so happy that I forget what it’s like being miserable.” Seongwoo smiled before he let out a small laugh.

“So, thank you for that?” Seongwoo tilted his head and Daniel couldn’t resist the urge so he kissed the tip of Seongwoo’s nose. “You are so fucking cute, hyung,” Daniel answered as he fished out his phone from his pocket.

“No, you are cute, do you know how cute it is that you always cite the books you are going to quote whenever you talk? When you said Haruki Murakami, that was so cute and amusing, I would’ve kissed you if we weren’t so tense earlier,” Seongwoo replied.

“Also, funny, because I don’t even know whether you finish that Banana Yoshimoto’s book or not.” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow.

“I did actually. _Truly happy memories always live on, shining_. She said that,” Daniel said as he opened something on his phone.

“How do you remember all those things?” Seongwoo smiled in amusement. “I guess I remember the things that hit me. The real question is how do you actually know all the stuffs I am talking about?” Daniel raised his eyebrow as he chuckled.

“I guess we just connect in some spiritual level,” Seongwoo reasoned.

“Do you know that all my friends actually looking for you these past two weeks, because you were absent from my Instagram story? I’m going to put you in just so they know _Daniel’s hot friend_ is alive,” Daniel said as he snapped a picture of Seongwoo, trying to stuff another _kimbap_ into his mouth.

“You just basically admitted that I’m hot, so I’m okay with you taking ugly picture of me,” Seongwoo taunted when Daniel leaned closer to him and put the front camera on, before he snapped himself kissing Seongwoo’s cheek.

“This one is for everyone to know that you are not just _Daniel’s hot friend_.” Daniel grinned cheekily, as Seongwoo turned his head to look at the younger properly.

“Be my boyfriend?” Daniel smiled at Seongwoo – the kind of smile that seriously looks like the sun itself live within it.

“What are we? Thirteen?” Seongwoo replied instead, and Daniel makes an annoyed face before he groaned. “Can you just, answer it, because it’s been awhile, and I really like you and I feel like I need to ask you out properly in the grandest way?”

“We visited all kind of beautiful places, including Eiffel Tower together but you decided to ask me out in the middle of a street food market?” Seongwoo knitted his eyebrow together.

“Do we need to come back for me to ask you out properly?” Daniel was looking dead serious that made Seongwoo to let out another laugh.

“I’m going to tell you something that you won’t like, but what if we tried the inevitable, let the universe set our next meeting and by then, I will give you my answer.” Seongwoo shrugged nonchalantly.

“That sounds so ridiculous until I remember that it is originally my idea to test the universe. Fucking great, Kang Daniel is a fucking genius.” Daniel grunted – and he looks so endearing that Seongwoo has to pepper his face with small kisses.

“Is this what I get after I got ignored for two weeks?” Daniel raised his eyebrow, and Seongwoo nodded.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Seongwoo assured. “We will probably meet very soon, Seoul is not that big,” Seongwoo added.

“Fine, but if I can’t take it anymore, I am literally going to barge into your office and demand the answer.” Daniel grinned and Seongwoo couldn’t help but grin back as well.

“You know the answer anyway, Daniel.”

 

\---

 

Daniel let out the biggest sigh when he saw Jaehwan waiting for him in front of the class that afternoon – one of the university’s staffs asked him whether he wants to be a lecturer’s assistant. “How was it?” Jaehwan raised his eyebrow.

“Nope, not going to do that, do you know how I tried so hard not to look him in the eye? I literally want to get the fuck out of there so _he_ won’t talk to me,” Daniel ranted. “Oh my goodness, to think that a year ago I would literally throw myself into this opportunity so I could spend more time with him for being a fellow assistant, I hate myself.” Daniel grunted.

“You won’t believe that I have been waiting two years for you to say that about your dear _hyung_ , but I guess you have a new dearest _hyung_ now! Also, congrats again for not getting ignored anymore, I’m glad that you guys solve your problems, whatever it was, because I like Seongwoo hyung way much better.” Jaehwan chimed – he sounds genuinely happy and Daniel is actually touched.

“I like him way, way much better too.” Daniel smiled to himself until he remembers that it’s been two days since Seongwoo decided to give the universe the control of their relationship – then he frowned.

“Don’t go all cheesy on me, Kang.” Jaehwan taunted as they both walk together to the parking lot.

“Are you driving me home, Jaehwan? Is this why you prevent me to bring my own car? You better do because –.”

“ _Oi_ , boyfriend.” Daniel stopped his track when he heard a very, awfully familiar voice that he has been missing to hear in real life and not just from the phone line – he really should’ve noticed the older sooner, because Seongwoo literally looked goddamn gorgeous leaning into his car, perfectly wrapped in black long coat and turtleneck. 

And Seongwoo even smirked at the younger when Daniel noticed him. 

“You have got to be kidding me! You said to let the universe – okay, whatever, you are the one who cheat anyway, not me,” Daniel protested when he walked to Seongwoo’s direction before smiling when he has Seongwoo right in front of him.

“Also, hi boyfriend,” Daniel greeted. “I’m so proud that you literally go against your own belief about the inevitable just to see me.”

“Surprise, surprise, because I miss you,” Seongwoo replied before he leaned in to kiss Daniel and Daniel melts and his heart is bursting so he just hug Seongwoo a little too tightly afterward.

“How do you know exactly what time I’m coming out?” Daniel asked when he let Seongwoo go.

“Me,” Jaehwan suddenly cut in, as he appeared to stand just beside them. “Hi, Seongwoo hyung, it’s good to see you.”

“Yes, thank you for that Jaehwan, it’s good to see you too. You know what, we should hang out sometimes,” Seongwoo proposed.

“Oh, you want me to be a third-wheel again like Singapore isn’t bad already?” Jaehwan smiled sarcastically.

“We could bring Minhyun too,” Seongwoo added and Jaehwan let out an irritating chuckle. “You both seriously think that Minhyun could make me change my mind.”

“We could grab some chicken and beer?” Daniel suggested that time around.

“So you now think that alcohol and Minhyun can bribe me to follow your shenanigans – okay, fine, whatever, just hit me up.” Jaehwan shrugged before he smiled slightly. “Also, I’m going to go home because I don’t want to third-wheel like right now right away, _ugh_ , bye guys.” Jaehwan added as he waved slightly to the both of them and left.

Daniel kissed Seongwoo one last time before they both went inside Seongwoo’s car – it was surprisingly too windy that day. “So, where are you taking me?” Daniel asked as he intertwined their fingers together – Seongwoo was trying to turn on the engine with one hand, and he looked like he’s struggling so Daniel let go at the end

“I’m not sure actually, where do you want to go?” Seongwoo raised his eyebrow as he turned on the radio and starts to move the wheel.

“Funny because we said that too many times before and we be like, _how about Verona?_ Good times.” Daniel chuckled and Seongwoo laughed along – he truly likes it that he could do that to Daniel again, he wants to stay like that for a really long time – they both do.

Little did you know, sometimes someone meet another someone, and it’s so fucking clear that they both belong on the same page and they both are meant to cross the ocean together. This could happen out of nowhere and under very uncanny circumstances, but this is the kind of relationship that make you believe, if not fate, it makes you believe in _something._  

“Also, I searched about northern lights and the best places to see them last night, do you think you’ll like Canada or Iceland more? Or Alaska?” Seongwoo asked when they got out from the parking lot, and honestly he doesn’t really know where to go, but anywhere is always a lot nicer with Daniel so it will be okay.

“Iceland sounds like a catch though?” Daniel replied afterward.

“Deal.” Seongwoo nodded, and goes back to driving. They stayed like that for a little while, with Daniel carefully picking out songs from Seongwoo’s playlist to be played on the radio and everything feels so fitting and perfectly in place.

Seoul to New York took more than fourteen hours, but New York to Seoul took twelve cities and a massive change of hearts with two people searching for the peace for their heart – and thank goodness they found it in each other.

“You know, I think it’s so weird,” Daniel said out of the blue.

“What is?” Seongwoo knitted his eyebrow together. “Liking you,” Daniel replied and Seongwoo smiled at the statement.

“It’s not love at the first sight because I thought we are going to be friends, I thought it would be enough. I think the way I like you is just the kind of loving someone that slowly grow,” Daniel continued.

“We went together to all this breathtaking places together, witnesses every weird sides and pretty moments, I think it’s the story that I have never imagined happening to me.” Daniel let a small laugh at the end.

“And it did, all because you said yes to my crazy proposal, so thank you for believing that I won’t murder you and ditch your body along the way,” Seongwoo commented with a small grin playing on his lips.

“You will forever be my favorite crazy decision though,” Daniel replied in between.

“Also, I still think meeting you is an inevitable thing, I guess, because I wouldn’t be here if I don’t feel like we have something, you know I finally learn what it feels like to have someone who is worth the try,” Seongwoo continued and when he reached the end of his sentence, he could feel Daniel’s hand touching his arms before it creeps to his face and squeezed his cheek gently.

“What was that for,” Seongwoo snorted and Daniel shrugged.

“I don’t know, I’m just happy that you are here, that we are here, and I don’t have to be afraid what will come when this ends, because we go beyond it for a long time, I hope,” Daniel replied.

“You know, for the first time in a long time, I’m not that worried anymore either,” Seongwoo said, taking Daniel’s hand and intertwined their fingers again – Daniel gave it a little squeeze.

Seongwoo thinks it’s going to be okay, and Daniel too. They should’ve realized this sooner after all those cities they went together, they should’ve known that everything is going to be just a tad nicer with each other – a lot better actually.

“I know where to go next,” Daniel beamed all of the sudden. “You know my place sounds like a very promising land,” Daniel said as he wriggled his eyebrow and Seongwoo let out a funny scoff, before he shrugged nonchalantly at the end.

“Yeah, your place sounds like a really good idea,”.

(In Seoul, Daniel and Seongwoo learn that they never want a happy ending, simply because they don’t want an ending, they just want to be happy.)

**Author's Note:**

> Congratulations, you have reached the end! I hope you enjoy the whole ride <3
> 
> I will release **Daniel's letter to Juliet** after the revealing and also, **an extra story for your favourite city!**  The rules to pick are pretty simple:
> 
> 1\. You just have to decide one city of your choice;
> 
> 2. **Comment down below** ORyou can **tweet it with the hashtag #GAPYEONGLOVERSDAY4** so I can check!
> 
> 3\. The city with most pick will win and get an extra story!
> 
> I would like to thank my prompter, who has created such a wonderful prompt for me to develop and for letting me to do this. I hope I didn't let you down too much :') Also to everyone who has supported me and witnessed me having multiple mental breakdowns throughout the process of writing this. Special thanks to Gapyeong Lovers' mods that have worked hard for this amazing event! You guys are awesome :D 
> 
> Here are the list of books that I use on this fic if you are interested:
> 
> 1\. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway;
> 
> 2\. The Piazza Tales and Other Prose Pieces by Herman Melville;
> 
> 3\. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami;
> 
> 4\. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto.
> 
>  **[UPDATE]** Since it's already revealed, you can hit me up on twitter/cc @nyelness!
> 
>  **additional thread + daniel's letter to juliet:** [begin again thread](https://twitter.com/nyelness/status/1073229790964998144)
> 
> Thank you for reading and for (hopefully) liking this story as much as I enjoy writing every words of it :D
> 
>  


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